Outlaw plastic bags?

I’m not a fan of the heavy hand of government. So when I saw this story in the Seattle Times, it struck me as just another nanny state initiative that won’t solve anything.

Last year I wrote a column on the effects of plastic water bottles on landfills. At that time, the head of Salt Lake Valley Solid Waste Management told me plastics are a growing problem nationwide. But how much of a problem? The Environmental Protection Agency says about 11.7 percent of the waste generated in 2006 was from plastics, up from 1 percent in 1960.

But that percentage is down from 11.9 percent in 2005. Meanwhile, plastics are light and durable, which allows companies to ship items easily and in large quantities, which reduces the cost of many things.

Here’s my concern: If a city wants to impose a fee on shoppers who use plastic bags, it needs to demonstrate the need. Then, instead of punishing people, it should provide incentives for local companies that find ways to encourage people to use reusable bags. It also should find ways to encourage people to recycle all types of plastic.

What do you think? Should cities along the Wasatch Front impose a Seattle-like tax on plastic bags and ban foam food containers?