TESTIMONY TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MARYLAND

BILL 19-23: AN ORDINANCE concerning Public Safety – Ban the Bag Act of Anne Arundel County

POSITION: Support

BY: Abby Root, League of Women Voters of Anne Arundel County

Date: April 3, 2023

Good evening. My name is Abby Root, 1336 Chicory Way, Odenton, representing the League of Women Voters of Anne Arundel County.

The League supports Bill 19-23.

The League’s Solid Waste position is to “support a program of solid waste management that protects public health and environment through promotions of source reduction, recycling, and adoption of a conservation ethic among individuals, businesses, and government.”

Plastic bags are detrimental to the health of humans and animals. Plastic bags start out as fossil fuels but then go through other processes during production that generate greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change.  They ultimately end up as toxic waste in landfills, waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.

Plastic bags become microplastics in landfills that absorb toxins and pollute the environment. In the waterways and the Bay, marine animals often eat discarded plastic, which can be lethal. If fish ingest microplastics, the toxic chemicals in the fish can go up the food chain to bigger fish and eventually to humans.

The League supports a ban on plastic bags in Anne Arundel County. There are bans in the counties of Howard, Montgomery, Baltimore, and Baltimore City and numerous Maryland towns.

Charging a fee for plastic bags has been found to encourage public awareness of the persistence of plastic waste.  Many people know plastic bags are environmentally damaging but need an incentive to change their shopping behavior.

The League urges the Council to vote in favor of Bill 19-23. Thank you.