Fairfax City reviews plastic bag‑tax spending; staff proposes $100,000 toward new carts in FY26

City staff told the Fairfax City Council on July 8 that the city has collected roughly $252,251 in disposable plastic bag tax revenue since the tax began Jan. 1, 2023, and has spent about $144,316 on reusable bags, community cleanups, city jobs support and public‑art projects. Environmental sustainability coordinator Melissa McDonald said the city has distributed more than 20,000 reusable bags and that community cleanups supported by the fund have yielded more than 14,000 pounds of litter and more than 5,000 volunteer hours.

The staff presentation described four allowed spending categories under state guidance — environmental cleanups, public education designed to reduce waste, litigation to address pollution/litter, and distribution of reusable bags — and proposed directing $100,000 of the unallocated bag‑tax revenue to offset part of the cost of a new curbside cart program. The trash and recycling cart program would provide one 64‑gallon trash cart and one 64‑gallon recycling cart to each single‑family household served by curbside collection in September; staff said full program cost is roughly $1.3 million before grants and that the Recycling Partnership contributed $102,000. With $100,000 in bag‑tax funds, staff said the city’s net cost would fall to just under $1.1 million.

Why it matters: Staff said the wheeled carts should reduce windblown litter, protect worker safety by reducing manual lifting, increase recycling capacity (especially cardboard), and create opportunities to examine collection efficiencies in the future. Council asked about equity and opt‑out options for residents who do not want carts; staff said the current plan provides a cart to every household that receives curbside service and that an opt‑out policy would require additional staff direction and could affect grant terms. McDonald said staff have been distributing reusable bags through nonprofits and faith groups to reach households likely to be most affected by the bag tax.

Questions raised: Council members pressed staff for more detail on ongoing outreach to low‑income households and HOAs, the likely operational impact and maintenance cost of the carts (staff estimated minimal maintenance the first 5–10 years and roughly $5,000/year for repairs after that), and whether the city could offer an opt‑out. Staff said an opt‑out is possible but would require a directive from council and could affect tiered grant funding; they suggested an alternative approach — distribute carts to all households, allow a trial period, and accept returns for households that still prefer not to keep them. Staff also said existing receptacles can be repurposed as yard‑waste containers and that a take‑back program will recycle old containers at a private recycling facility.

Council response: Council members thanked staff and indicated general support for using $100,000 in bag‑tax revenue to help offset the cart project, noting the funding use fits state restrictions. Staff said they will report back with finer details on outreach to vulnerable households and confirm timing and pilot details for any opt‑out or alternative handling. The council said staff should finalize communications and the household packet that will be distributed with the carts.

Ending: The council indicated consensus for the proposed allocation and directed staff to continue community outreach and finalize operational details before the September rollout.