VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach City Council is set to vote on a proposal that could soon put a tax on plastic bags in the city.
The vote was pushed back earlier this fall and is expected to happen Tuesday.
The proposal would charge people 5 cents per plastic bag used at grocery and convenience stores as well as pharmacies. It's all in an effort to curb pollution and keep the city's waterways safer.
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Advocates have said the bags often wind up in the water and are eaten by wildlife, particularly turtles, which can harm them. Others said it's not the moment to tack on another tax for Virginians bearing the weight of inflation.
The General Assembly passed a law in 2020 allowing localities the ability to add a fee to plastic bag usage. So far, nine localities have passed ordinances to add fees to bags.
If adopted, the tax would go into effect in Jan. 2023.
