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Murashige, Laura ��/(�/(. G4- ( MELL (7)
From: Shestek, Tim [Tim_Shestek @americanchemistry.com]
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2011 8:40 AM e`'1 Jf,r ��
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Proposed Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance - Testimony i
Attachments: County of Hawaii plastic bag reduction ordinance ACC oppose Jan 2011.pdf
Attached is testimony in opposition to the proposed plastic bag reduction ordinance. Thank you.
Tim Shestek -- Senior Director, State Affairs
American Chemistry Council 11121 L St., Suite 609 1 Sacramento, CAI 95814
Phone: (916) 448 -2581
www.americanchemistry.com
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Comm. No. •
Ref. To-. G
Ref. Date -EE R 1 20
1/31/2011
American°
Chemistry
Council
January 28, 2011
To: Honorable Members of the Council of the County of Hawai'i
From: Tim Shestek
Senior Director, State Affairs
American Chemistry Council
Re: PLASTIC BAG REDUCTION ORDINANCE - OPPOSE
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) must respectfully oppose the proposed ordinance to prohibit retailers from
providing recyclable plastic check out bags.
Though we support the intent of reducing bag litter and waste, we believe that the most environmentally responsible
and economically sustainable solution to addressing this issue is a comprehensive program aimed at recycling these bags
so that they may be used as feedstock in the production of other products, such as new bags, pallets, containers, crates,
and pipe.
A growing number of states and cities around the United States — including California, New York, Delaware, Rhode
Island, Chicago, New York City and Tucson — have passed legislation to promote at -store programs to collect plastic bags
and product wraps for recycling as a practical and effective means to reduce waste.
In 2009, 850 million pounds of plastic bags and wraps were recycled in the U.S., and the rate has gone up 31% since
2005. Right now there are more than 18,000 places to recycle bags in the United States including at major grocery
stores and national retailers. Not only can consumers recycle plastic grocery bags at these at -store drop off programs
but consumers can also include bags from newspapers, dry cleaning, bread and produce together with the wraps around
cases of soda, paper towels or diapers. Furthermore, more than 90% of consumers reuse their plastic bags for various
household and other functions such as trash can liners, picking up after their pets, as a storage bags when traveling, for
holding wet clothes or kitchen messes after preparing food. One unintended consequence of this ordinance could force
consumers to purchase new plastic bags to replace the retail bags they previously reused. Such an unintended
consequence does not make environmental sense.
In addition, proposals to ban plastic bags in most cases simply result in consumers choosing paper bags; a decision that
results in substantial, yet often overlooked environmental impacts. Bear in mind the overall environmental and
economic impacts that could result from widespread consumer shift from recyclable plastic to paper bags:
• Plastic grocery bags require 70 percent less energy to manufacture than paper bags and generate 50% less
greenhouse gases.
• For every seven trucks needed to deliver paper bags, only one truck is needed for the same number of plastic
bags, helping to save energy and reduce air emissions.
• Plastic bags generate 80 percent less waste than paper bags.
americanchemistry.com 1121 L Street Suite 609 1 Sacramento, CA 1 (916) 448 -2581 �`�
A recent study of the ban on plastic bags in San Francisco shows that this policy has dramatically increased paper bag
use and done little to promote reusable bags'. Furthermore, the San Francisco Examiner reported (January 25, 2010)
that the city's bag ban has increased one local grocer expenses "by $900,000 a year in its 15 San Francisco stores."
ACC would welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with the County of Hawai'i, grocers, retailers, recyclers,
and others to promote the recycling of these products. For the above listed reasons, we urge you to oppose the
proposed plastic bag reduction ordinance.
Thank you in advance for the opportunity to provide these comments. Should you have any questions or comments,
please contact me at 916 - 448 -2581 or via email at tim_shestek @americanchemistry.com. You may also contact ACC's
Hawai'i based representatives Red Morris or John Radcliffe at 808 - 531 -4551.
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�:,n -I ranri�ar Plastic t3ag- 13an.pdf