 Effective Jan. 1, 2023, disposable plastic bags provided at point of sale to consumers at grocery stores, convenience stores, and drugstores in Fairfax City will be subject to a 5 cent tax. To avoid the tax, consumers are encouraged to bring their own reusable shopping bags, or opt out of bags altogether.
This tax does not apply to:
- Restaurants
- Food banks
- Farmers markets
- Clothing stores
Other exceptions to the plastic bag tax:
- Plastic bags intended for reuse
- Plastic bags solely used to wrap, contain, or package certain items (ice cream, meat, fish, poultry, produce, unwrapped bulk food items, or perishable food items)
- Plastic bags for dry cleaning or prescription drugs
- Multiple plastic bags sold in packages for garbage or pet waste
The tax is administered and enforced by the Virginia Department of Taxation in the same manner as the Retail Sales and Use Tax. For questions about administration or enforcement, please contact Virginia Tax at 804-367-8031.
Bring Your Own Bag!
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Shoppers can avoid this bag tax by bringing their own reusable bags or opting out of bags altogether for smaller shopping trips.
Need a reusable bag? FREE reusable grocery bags are available to residents while supplies last. Pick up a bag from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Fairfax City Hall Atrium, 10455 Armstrong St (excluding holidays)
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The average American family uses 1,500 single-use plastic bags a year. This overwhelming use of single-use plastic bags is a global phenomenon. Many plastic bags end up as litter on streets and degrade very slowly in the soil, or are carried into local streams and on into rivers, bays and oceans. Broken down microplastics from plastic bags can never be taken out of the environment. Opting to use reusable grocery bags can drastically reduce the amount of plastic bags littered in the environment.
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