Time To BYOBag: Chicago's New 7-Cent Tax On Plastic Bags Starts Today

By Stephen Gossett in News on Feb 1, 2017 8:42PM

Getty Images / Photo: David Paul Morris

After a blessed one-month reprieve, the inevitable has arrived for the the Chicago consumer: the Checkout Bag Tax begins today.

In case you forgot, the measure requires a 7-cent tax per bag on both plastic and paper bags. The ordinance originally was to include a ban on plastic bags, but that plan was subsequently scrapped. Five cents of the tax goes to the city; the rest goes to the shop.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced on Friday that the city partnered with a few grocers to distribute free, reusable bags at select dates and locations. Target gave away reusable bags to the first 200 shoppers at each of its 16 Chicago locations on Wednesday; and Whole Foods handed out 1,000, one per customer, to each of their first shoppers at their 12 locations. If you weren't so lucky, you might want to give your alderman's office a visit, where free so-called Chibags were being handed out.

“I’m happy to partner with the business community on this outreach effort to help residents build the habit of bringing their own shopping bags,” Emanuel said in a release on Friday. “By providing residents a reusable bag, we are giving them the tools they need to avoid the tax, and we will also help to reduce the number of paper and plastic bags used in Chicago.”

You might also consider making a donate to NPR during pledge drives, or getting a subscription to the New Yorker, or some other enriching act that carries a side tote benefit.

There are some exceptions to the new tax, however, including takeout bags from restaurants, prescription drug bags from a pharmacist and large garment bags. I mean, they don't want to nickel-and-dime you or anything.