By Page H. Gifford
Correspondent
If you’ve been shopping in Charlottesville or Richmond recently, you’ve heard about the new plastic bag tax.
You might even wonder if the tax will come to Fluvanna County.
For now, the answer is no.
Under a new Virginia law, local governments may opt to charge a 5-cent tax on disposable plastic bags provided at checkout by grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies.
The fee is meant to cut down on plastic waste, while helping fund environmental projects and reusable bags for SNAP and WIC shoppers.
Retailers may keep 1 cent of the 5-cent fee per bag.
While some Fluvanna residents have heard about the tax, it does not apply locally. The bag fee is optional under state law and only takes effect if a city or county passes an ordinance. There has been no discussion by the Board of Supervisors on implementing a bag tax.
The bag tax is currently in effect in several nearby localities, including Richmond, Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria, and Charlottesville.
Locally, some retailers have already shifted away from plastic.
Goodwill no longer provides plastic bags and encourages shoppers to bring reusable ones, while Food Lion sells reusable bags at checkout.
If you’re shopping in places like Richmond or Charlottesville, the best way to avoid the tax is to remember to pack that reusable bag.
