In 2020 legislation was passed by the Virginia General Assembly that allows counties or cities in the state to adopt an ordinance that would implement a $0.05 tax on disposable plastic bags provided by grocery stores, convenience stores and drugstores. The 2020 legislation would require the tax to be collected from the retailer at the time of purchase. 

Revenue generated by the tax would be used for:

• Environmental clean up programs
• Pollution and litter mitigation programs
• Educational programs on environmental waste
• Provision of reusable plastic bags to recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Woman, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) benefits

On September 14th, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted the ordinance to enact the $0.05 tax on disposable plastic bags provided by grocery stores, convenience stores and drugstores. The tax will take effect on January 1, 2022 and will be administered and enforced by the state in the same manner as Retail Sales and Use Tax.

More information about the proposed tax can be found at the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination website. For questions, please visit the Disposable Plastic Bag Tax FAQs webpage.