Bag Tax Law Goes Into Effect Jan. 1

Paper or plastic: If you want a bag at the grocery store, prepare to now pay the price.

With Montgomery County’s new bag law beginning today, shoppers must now pay 5 cents for each non-reusable bag. Of that five cents, the retail establishment keeps one cent per bag for administrative costs.

To ease the transition, the county is distributing a limited number of reusable bags (donated by businesses) at the following locations on Tuesday, starting at noon:

• Safeway, King Farm, 403 Redland Boulevard, Rockville
• , 11244 Triangle Lane, Wheaton
• Bethesda, corner of Woodmont and Bethesda avenues, near the fountain
• Walmart, 20910 Frederick Road, Germantown

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett wil distribute bags at the Safeway in the Hillandale Forest Shopping Center at 10101 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring.

The tax will NOT apply to bags used to carry the following items: prescription drugs, newspapers, garbage, pet waste, yard waste, restaurant leftovers or farmers market goods.

The county expects to earn up to $1.5 million from this tax in the first year. This money will go to the Water Quality Protection Fund (WQPF) to fund stormwater management, watershed restoration and litter clean-up, according to a county press release.