DEP right to bag proposal

Chances are, when you go to the grocery store today you'll chose plastic, and the bags will end up in the trash or littering the landscape, creating trouble for Florida's natural resources, wildlife and public infrastructure.

That, essentially, is what the state Department of Environmental Protection found in a Legislature-ordered study of retail plastic and paper bag use. "Currently in Florida," DEP Secretary Michael Sole said, "88 percent of plastic bags and 63 percent of paper bags are thrown away rather than recycled ..." That, clearly, needs to change.

But instead of recommending a total ban on the retail use of the bags, as originally it contemplated, DEP has suggested lawmakers take steps to "discourage" people from using them in favor of relying on the "reusable" bags growing in popularity today.

That's a wise approach. Many Floridians use plastic and paper bags for daily needs, including disposing of pet waste, storing magazines, books and other objects around the house, and lining trash cans.

An outright ban would pose a major inconvenience for people and businesses. The situation could result in extra expenses for companies.

Granted, bags have become a nuisance, especially plastic ones. They have caused equipment malfunctions at recycling facilities and landfills, according to DEP. People thoughtlessly litter the landscape with them and the wind blows them away from landfills. And, alas, the plastic bags are durable, making them a persistent polluter.

They can harm animals that eat them and clog stormwater ponds, lines and ditches, creating drainage problems.

The petroleum products used to make some of the bags are released into the atmosphere and water bodies. And there aren't enough facilities that offer plastic-bag recycling, the report found.

State and local governments should make a concerted effort to educate the public about the problems the bags cause.

It is encouraging that businesses and consumers already are doing something about this problem on their own, without government mandates.

For instance, as the DEP report shows, some businesses are giving away or selling reusable canvas and cloth bags, which are common sights in Tampa and other cities.

At least three businesses - Albertsons grocery, Target and CVS Pharmacy - give cash awards to customers with reusable bags. Some stores offer recycling bins for plastic bags. Wal-Mart's goal is to reduce plastic-bag use 25 percent by 2013, DEP reports.

With such resolve merchants and consumers can address this environmental offender without a ban, requiring customers to pay "deposits" for bags or enacting fees, which were among the options DEP gave the Legislature. Lawmakers also should consider substantially increasing fines for littering.

If the problem isn't curtailed, there may come a time when a ban is necessary. But not now. Concerned citizens and motivated retailers can solve this problem without government dictates. Let's give them a chance.