The Committee on Licenses and Inspections approved an amendment to bill 250773 and reported the measure to the full Council with a favorable recommendation on Wednesday. The bill would require retail establishments in Philadelphia to charge a 10¢ fee for recyclable bags provided at point of sale, require signage informing customers of the fee, and tighten definitions related to the municipal ban on certain bags.

Carlton Williams, director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives, testified for the administration in support of the bill's intent but cautioned about possible unintended consequences for small, “mom-and-pop” retailers and low-income residents. Williams said the office supports a simplified statutory definition of “plastic bag” to aid enforcement but urged the inclusion of protections and outreach so the fee does not disproportionately burden low-income Philadelphians.

Environmental and community advocates urged the council to adopt the fee as a behavior-change tool. Maurice Sampson, Eastern Pennsylvania director for Clean Water Action, said Philadelphia’s prior plastic ban led to a large reduction in plastic bag use but an increase in paper bag use, and argued a modest fee on other bags would shift behavior without harming low-income residents. “The fee is not a burden. It's an inconvenience,” Sampson said, describing evidence from other jurisdictions and supermarket practices in low-income neighborhoods.

Other witnesses included PennEnvironment and neighborhood activists who cited litter, environmental harm and public-health concerns. Several panelists recommended targeted outreach and reusable bag giveaways to ensure equitable implementation in communities that may lack access to reusable bags.

Committee action
The committee approved an amendment to bill 250773, then voted to report bill 250773, as amended, with a favorable recommendation and to suspend the rules to permit first reading at the next Council session.

Quotes
- “We support the intent of the bill to further Philadelphia's commitment to environmental sustainability and to reduce the use of single use bags,” Carlton Williams, director of Clean and Green Initiatives, said, while also warning of potential burdens on mom-and-pop businesses and low-income residents.
- “The fee is not a burden. It's an inconvenience,” Maurice Sampson of Clean Water Action said, arguing the measure will prompt reusable-bag behavior while leveling the retail playing field.

Next steps
Bill 250773, as amended, will be forwarded to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. Committee members and witnesses said the city should plan public education, coordinate enforcement with L&I and Commerce, and consider targeted measures (bag giveaways or exemptions) to reduce any disproportionate impacts on low-income residents.