Northbrook approves 10-cent tax on single-use bags
Tackling one of the first stated goals of Northbrook's Climate Action Plan, Northbrook trustees have approved an ordinance taxing single-use bags.
Board members voted 5-0 with one member absent on Feb. 7 to amend the village code establishing a 10-cent tax on carryout bags, to be imposed on customers. The proceeds will be split between retailers and the village's Sustainability Fund.
The tax addresses paper and plastic bags at the point of sale for retail stores of 3,000 square feet and larger not including restaurants, dry cleaners, pharmacies, farmers markets or street fairs. Customers who receive federal or state food assistance are exempt from the tax.
Tessa Murray, Northbrook's sustainability coordinator, said the tax is "meant to discourage use of disposable bags due to their negative impact on the environment."
The ordinance will take effect Jan. 1, 2024.
"This single-use bag tax is an important next step in the Village of Northbrook's implementation of its Climate Action Plan," said Trustee Heather Ross, who joined Trustee Bob Israel among 21 community leaders on the Community Climate Action Planning Team.
Village President Kathryn Ciesla noted Israel had been "pushing for this for a very, very long time."
Adopted in August 2021, the Climate Action Plan includes dozens of strategies over eight different sectors with the goal of greenhouse gas reduction, climate adaptation and overall sustainability.
Under the Waste Management section, the phaseout of single-use products such as bags is the first action toward the goal of decreasing municipal solid waste by 5% by the year 2030.
Murray said the Northbrook Sustainability Commission first started working on the ordinance in April 2022.
"As one of the top action items identified in the plan," Ross said, "the single-use bag tax aims to change consumer behavior and encourage the use of reusable shopping bags to reduce litter, environmental impacts, and recycling costs of single-use bags," Ross said.
"It's super-exciting that it's only been what, 15, 16 months and we already are taking action on one of our CAP items that was ranked so high," Ross said.
Retailers will retain 5 cents per bag to cover administrative costs of implementing the tax, Murray said. The other half will go to the village Sustainability Fund to provide free reusable bags to people and retailers.
Murray said according to the Illinois Municipal Policy Journal, in communities such as Oak Park and Batavia that have implemented similar taxes, there has been no effect on customer visits.
Monthly, Northbrook businesses must remit their share of the tax as well as a record of the number of bags provided to customers. Penalties for noncompliance may include fines of $150 a day and suspension or revocation of a company's business license.
"I am absolutely encouraged by our steps, and knowing that the money that we do collect will be used toward our efforts in sustainability is very comforting to me and very helpful to the community," Israel said.