Plastic bag use declining

Data from the first two months of the Village’s single-use bag fee indicate the fee is having the intended effect — encouraging people to bring their own bags.

Retailers reported charging customers for more than 198,200 bags in February, compared to about 225,500 bags in January. Data for March is not yet available, but indications are that use continued to decline.

Retailers charge 10 cents for every single-use bag they provide. Half of the 10-cent fee is retained by retailers to allay cost of implementing the program, while the other half is remitted to the Village to help fund local environmental initiatives.

The local law is not about making money, officials say, but reducing the negative impact single-use bags — both plastic and paper — have on the environment.

High-density polyethylene plastic bags, which are made from non-renewable fossil fuels, take more than 200 years to degrade. Paper bags have an even higher carbon footprint than plastic because more energy is required to produce and transport them.

Free reusable bags are available to in the lobby at Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, the second-floor lobby at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd and at other locations in the Village. For more information, visit www.oak-park.us/bringyourbag.