Elgin may charge fee for plastic, paper bags

Elgin City Council members were as divided as those in the audience Wednesday when discussing a proposed city ordinance under which residents would have to pay 10 cents for paper or plastic bags if they don’t bring their own sacks for store purchases.

Known as a single-use bag ordinance, the goal is to reduce the use of plastic and paper for both health and environmental reasons, said David Jurina, a member of the city’s advisory Sustainability Commission.

Less than 8% of plastic is recycled, meaning the rest ends up in landfills where it slowly degrades into the environment, Jurina said. The particles they release are microplastics, which get into drinking water and food, he said.

“It’s not so much a waste issue; it’s a plastic epidemic that we have here today,” Jurina said. “(This) is a first step in changing our behavior. It’s the first step in limiting the amount of plastic we use and discard.”

But Frank Paganis, co-owner of the Elgin Fresh Market, said the program is not feasible from an operations standpoint. It would create an excessive burden and hinder his grocery store’s daily operations, he said.

“We just had COVID. (For) two years we struggled. It was very, very, hard,” Paganis said. “Then we couldn’t find supplies. Then we couldn’t find employees. Now, we have this bag tax.”

He understands there is a problem. “I just don’t think this solution is the right one. I think we are jumping on a bandwagon. I think we can become more creative and think of different options,” Paganis said.

Sustainability analyst Mikala Larson, who outlined the ordinance, said it’s a concept the Sustainability Commission has discussed since 2015. It targets the paper and plastic bags provided at store checkouts and through delivery and pickup services.

Bags used at pharmacies or for food takeout wouldn’t be included, nor would anyone on the state’s food assistance program have to pay, Larson said.

Under the proposal, the program would be rolled out in two phases. The first phase would affect retailers with 5,000 square feet or larger — about 30 businesses in Elgin — followed by businesses that have 4,999 square feet or less six months later, she said.

It’s not meant to generate an additional revenue stream for the city, Larson said. Elgin would split the fee with retail owners, and the ordinance will be reviewed in April 2024 to see how it’s working and if any changes need to be made, she said.