Business & Tech

D.C. Businesses Get Hit With Fines for Not Enforcing Bag Fee

Thousands of dollars in fines, according to report.

Fines are being issued to D.C. businesses that are not collecting the bag fee. The fine for a first offense is $100 and doubles with each offense.

According to NBC Washington, more than 100 businesses have been issued a fine after the District Department of the Environment’s secret shopper found that they were not collecting the fee.

What do you think of the Bag Fee? Tell us in the comments below!

Find out what's happening in Georgetownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The D.C. bag fee went into effect Jan. 1, 2010 and charges consumers five cents for each plastic or paper bag. The fee has raised millions of dollars for the cleanup of the Anacostia River and encourages the use of reusable bags.

All D.C. businesses that sell food or alcohol must comply with the bag fee.

Find out what's happening in Georgetownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Image via Shutterstock

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Georgetown