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General County News

Thursday, December 15, 2022

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Plastic Bag Tax Goes into Effect on Sunday, January 1, 2023, in Albemarle County 

Effective January 1, 2023, Albemarle County will be enacting a five-cent tax on disposable plastic bags given to shoppers during checkout at grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies.


The Virginia Disposable Plastic Bag Tax is meant to address the impacts and costs of disposable plastic bags in the community and encourage the use of reusable bags.


The money collected from this tax will be utilized to purchase and distribute reusable bags to vulnerable populations and fund environmental education and litter clean-up programs.


Beginning in January 2023, Albemarle County staff will distribute reusable bags at select locations throughout the county to recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). These bags will help to avoid additional costs during checkout and also encourage the use of reusable bags that benefit the environment. Stay tuned for more information as dates and locations are confirmed. 


Why tax the bags? 


This is an effort to reduce the number of plastic bags used in our community - an intention in line with the County’s natural resource stewardship and climate action goals – due to the negative impact of disposable plastic bags on the environment.  


The change to reusable bags may be challenging at first, but the results are in our community’s best interest: 

  • While disposable bags are recyclable, the recycling rates are actually quite low. In fact, a lot of recycling equipment can’t handle the bags as they can get snagged and clog up machinery. 
  • Plastic bags pose a risk to animals and their habitats. Not only are the bags mistaken for food, which can cause health problems or death, but animals can also become tangled in them. 
  • Disposable bags are likely to end up as litter – resulting in not only an eyesore but a costly clean-up effort. 
  • Reusable bags can be used for many reasons beyond a trip to the grocery store – and are often much more durable than disposable plastic bags. 
  • Studies have found that plastic bag mitigation efforts have decreased the number of plastic litter in nearby waterways. 
Learn More

Is your business affected by the plastic bag tax?


Details about the tax and how to file and pay can be found at www.tax.virginia.gov/disposable-plastic-bag-tax.


Additionally, you can download this toolkit that includes materials for you, your employees, and a poster to place in your store.

Download the Kit

We have a new podcast! The Let’s Talk Albemarle podcast seeks to foster community participation through the exploration of important topics in Albemarle County. Listen free on Apple Podcast, iHeart, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, or our website.

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