Seattle Bag Tax

Welcome

Welcome to www.SeattleBagTax.org. This site has been put together in order to compile in one place the numerous articles, studies and information that Seattle citizens should look at as they consider their position on the approved bag tax and polystyrene ban. If you know of other articles or studies please contact us and we will add them to the list.

Who are we? We are a group of economists who make up the Northwest Economic Policy Seminar. We have no connections with the plastic bag industry and have received no remuneration in any form for looking and commenting on this issue. Our mission at the Seminar is to use our skills and training to help inform the public and develop and comment on public policy issues.

The Seattle City Proposal and the study commissioned by the city on the issues are the primary policy documents for the bag tax and polystyrene ban. A study we did on our own and a letter we sent to the City Council and Mayor are the only pieces we have produced. The rest of the information is from elsewhere around the world. We recommend as you go through them that you note the authorship. Though most of the articles and research looks clean, much of it is by industry groups who may have an interest in the issue.

Our own conclusion is that the tax and the ban are going to have little if any effect on the environment and may well waste resources that could be better used elsewhere such as adopting a program similar to New York City's private/public plastic bag recycling initative. (see our Letter to the Seattle City Council and Analysis of the Seattle Bag Tax and Foam Ban Proposal).

We hope you look carefully at all the information compiled here and that it helps you come to a well-informed opinion of the proposed bag tax and styrofoam container ban.

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Recycling Programs Preferred Over Fees and Bans in Seattle

In December 2007, the City of Seattle commissioned a survey to gauge the citizenry’s opinions about bag taxes, bans and recycling, taxes and bans. Taxes and bans clearly were not favored and recycling was overwhelmingly the preferred option. View results of the SPU survey here.

Between August 8-14, 2008, we issued a poll of our own on this website:

I would vote FOR an initiative in the city of Seattle that...

• Prevented the City from implementing the grocery bag tax and polystyrene ban in January 2009.
• Required the City to work with businesses and the public to set up a recycling program to recycle plastic grocery bags.
• Both of the above.
• None of the above.

Of the 178 unique respondents, 154 individuals (87%) indicated that the city should reconsider their position and/or work with businesses and the public to establish a recycling program. View our poll results here.