Beginning January 1, 2012, a 5-cent bag tax will go into effect in Montgomery County, Maryland. The tax, modeled after Washington D.C.’s that started in January 2010, is expected to raise over $1 million a year in revenue for the county. County officials insist that the tax isn’t about the money and instead aimed at cutting down on litter and pollution of the county’s waterways. The tax will apply to both paper and plastic bags which are routinely used to transport goods bought at grocery, retail, convenience, and other stores. Revenues generated by the bag tax will go to Montgomery County’s Water Quality Protection Fund, which pays for litter cleanup, stream restoration and runoff prevention.

Seattle, Washington, recently passed a much-contested disposable bag tax ordinance. The bill was designed to urge citizens to embrace use of reusable tote bags. "The hope is by passing this legislation we can help shift behavior and get more people to use reusable bags instead of disposable bags," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. Seattle residents use a staggering 292 million plastic bags and 68 million paper bags every year. However, only about 13% of those plastic bags are recycled in the city. Leveraging a tax on disposable bags is becoming a trend across the nation. Several other communities across the country – including Austin, TX, Los Angeles, CA, and Eugene, OR – have legislation in the works regarding taxation of disposable bags.

Over the holidays, Montgomery County officials are handing out over 300,000 reusable bags to publicize the new tax. The bags, made from eco-friendly materials such as jute, cotton canvas, and recycled water bottles, serve as an excellent marketing tool and source of repeat advertising. Use of reusable bags has risen exponentially in The District of Columbia since their bag tax was enacted. The same is expected to happen in Montgomery County, Maryland, and other areas in which plastic bag taxes are set in place. Giving out reusable grocery tote bags for your next promotion means your brand will be seen every time the recipient goes shopping!