Just over two years ago, in January 2022, Fairfax County imposed a five-cent tax on plastic bags used in grocery stores, convenience stores and drugstores.
Though it is categorized as one of many efforts to reduce plastic waste, there is much speculation as to whether or not the tax has actually been effective at what it was meant to do in decreasing waste.

The county’s Board of Supervisors decides where and how the money generated is used, and as of February 2024, the largest sum of money of $720,000 was given to Operation Stream Shield.
Operation Stream Shield is a wonderful organization created in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) and the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH).
They work with several environmental organizations to locate areas throughout Fairfax County in need of cleanup or removal of invasive plant species.
They then team up with local homeless shelters to provide those in need with jobs. Transport and supervision is provided for these workers. This organization has absolutely benefited from the bag tax.
About $500,000 has gone to funding cleanups at commuter’s parking lots and bus stops and another $500,000 has gone to the execution of Fairfax County’s Zero Waste Implementation.
The county’s government and public schools joined together to work on a program to address climate change and environmental sustainability.
The goal is to decrease waste by 25% and redirect 90% of that waste from the trash to be recycled. By 2030, they hope to be completely waste-free.
The implementation of this plan outlines 50 possible options and 24 optimal strategies.

The remainder of the money earned is going towards other efforts such as a compost initiative, reusable bags, waste reduction efforts, and other environmental movements within Fairfax County.
For some adults, the tax really has made them more mindful. IB Anthropology and IB History of the Americas teacher Jake Vaughn feels that the tax is effective.
“I think it is a good way to cut down on unnecessary plastic use,” Vaughn said. “It has made me more mindful because I used to just get bags even if I was buying something that was small.”
Vaughn thinks that the bag tax is a great way to promote environmental health, because it’s more than a simple choice of whether or not you want to partake in the tax.
“I think one of the biggest problems with a lot of eco stuff is they always put it on individual decisions which is good in some ways,” Vaughn said. “But also, there have to bigger structural changes if we’re really gonna change habits and a tax is a great way to do that.”
However, sophomore Jennifer Nguyen holds a different perspective. She thinks that the tax is better at raising money, not at actually reducing the number of plastic bags used.
“I don’t think the tax is really effective for reducing waste because it’s just 5 cents and since it’s a really small amount people still pay for it,” Nguyen said.
Instead of a tax, she suggested that companies and business should either set a limit to the number of plastic bags given, or provide reusable or compostable bags for customers.
“I think we should stop producing plastic bags and stick to giving out reusable bags, like Safeway does,” Nguyen said.
Sophomore Tracy Do agrees with the sentiment that the tax doesn’t effectively aid in waste reduction, and different approaches to solutions should be implemented.
“I don’t think raising the tax would work because it’s a mindless thing,” Do said.
But for now, the bag tax is one of the many steps we can take towards a society that is more mindful of their waste and ways to prevent it.