Our plastic bag tax is proving to be an effective tool in reducing plastic bag usage, according to data recently released by the county. Since 2022, when the bag tax begun, 3.6 million fewer plastic bags have been used by consumers in the county.

The data shows a positive and sustained decline in disposable plastic bags throughout the past few years.

• In 2023, there was a reduction of approximately 1.6 million plastic bags used compared to the previous year.
• And when comparing the first eight months of 2024 to the same period in 2023, an additional 2 million plastic bags were eliminated from use.

That’s nearly 4 million bags so far that will never find their way into county waterways.

“We are seeing the results of this program in the significant reduction of plastic waste,” said Jeffrey C. McKay, Board of Supervisors chairman. “The bag fee has never been about generating revenue but about changing behavior that helps our planet and helps our community reduce litter.  However, any revenue that is generated is applied directly to cleaning up our streams, supporting litter reduction and providing reusable bags to vulnerable populations."