Carlos Petzold's letter [“Plastics should take lead in bottle debate,” Sept. 21, Page 7] makes an excellent point. We in our industry need to work toward a joint solution in dealing with human nature — if we don't help construct the rules, we may not like the results.
It would seem that an effective solution would be to support bottle and bag fees — and not just for plastics. I would easily support any bill that said that any single-use container or bag, no matter what the material, would have a tax/charge imposed. The only requirement to be applied is that the fee must be charged separately, not built into the product price, so that the user knows that she is paying it. Some fees might be deposits, to be recouped, others would simply be a per-container charge, with the fees collected ultimately going to public cleanup efforts.
The most environmentally sound approach in the Great Bag Debate is to carry one's own bag and use it, or be charged to use someone else's. Similarly, providing economic encouragement to deal with all single-use containers, not just plastic or aluminum, would seem to be helpful.
After all, a can that holds tuna fish or green beans is just as polluting and/or takes just as much landfill space as one that holds Diet Coke.
Lance Neward
Sandy, Utah