Jan 16

Jan 16 Beating A Bad Wrap

Glaros, Lehman and Others Push Legislation To Combat Plastic, Paper Bag Litter

Dannielle Glaros (D-Dist. 3) is shopping for a new way to clean up the county and she won’t be using shopping bags to get it done.

Dannielle Glaros at one of her town hall meetings in April 2019. PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA

“I hope you will join me in making 2020 the year Prince George's County addresses plastic bags littering our parks, roadways, and neighborhoods. This year I am working closely with Delegate Mary Lehman and others to support PG 401-20 will give Prince George's County the authority to consider imposing a five-cent fee on plastic and paper bags,” Glaros penned in a recent community newsletter.

The councilmember believes “The bill will allow the County Council to initiate a conversation with County residents on the best way to reduce this scourge on our health and environment, just like Montgomery County, Howard County, and Baltimore City have done ahead of us. Each jurisdiction has charted its own approach to this challenge. Passing PG 401-20 will give Prince George's County the ability to explore the different options other counties have used.”

Glaros also eyes the legislative aims of other colleagues who are taking aim at the same issues.

“I am also strongly supporting The Plastics and Packaging Reduction Act sponsored by Delegate Brooke Lierman and Senator Malcolm Augustine. It is my hope that their legislation will pass this year, making PG 401-20 unnecessary. However, because legislation in Annapolis is often uncertain until the last minute, and because Prince George's County cannot afford to wait one more year to reduce the number of plastic bags littering our neighborhoods and waterways, I hope you will join me in supporting both bills,” she says.

“The bottom line is that single-use plastic bags are a large source of the litter across Prince George's County. They are virtually non-recyclable and do not biodegrade. They clog our recycling facilities and storm drains and are carried into our waterways. They are ingested by birds, fish and marine animals and pollute our food. They breakdown into microplastics and pollute our water,” Glaros explains.