The public outreach campaign for the County’s new carryout bag law, which will take effect January 1, 2012, was officially launched today by County Executive Ike Leggett at Westfield Montgomery in Bethesda.

Under the law passed in early May by the County Council, all retail establishments in the County are required to collect a five-cent charge on each paper or plastic carryout bag they provide to customers at the point of sale, pickup or delivery. Retailers would receive a one-cent rebate on each paper or plastic bag to help cover administrative costs. The County’s Finance Department will oversee the collection/reporting process through a specially designed website.

Joining Leggett at the kickoff were County Council Vice President Roger Berliner and Bob Hoyt, director of the County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), who served as emcee.

In the presence of a number of both public- and private-sector partners who have agreed to help get the word out to Montgomery County residents and shoppers, Leggett said, “We are here today to start spreading the word that there is an easy alternative to paying five cents a bag when shopping. Just bring your own bags.

“We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all our retail and community partners who have signed on to help educate residents and shoppers about the law,” Leggett said. “Reaching nearly one million residents and countless visitors who shop in Montgomery County is a daunting task. But those who are here today, and many others who couldn’t be here, have stepped up and said, ‘We want to help and here’s what we can do.’ Thanks to all of you.”

County officials say that they will continue to recruit partners for the outreach campaign.

“Education is critical to the success of this initiative,” Councilmember Berliner said. “Once our residents see how easy it is to help our environment and save money at the same time, I think more people will begin utilizing reusable bags in a meaningful way. This is about changing our habits as consumers and recognizing that we can all take small steps to protect our waterways and stream beds.”

Revenues from collections -- estimated at about $1.5 million in the first year -- would be directed to the Water Quality Protection Fund (WQPF) that pays for things such as stormwater management, watershed restoration and litter clean-up. Plastic bags are one of the top four items found in County streams and stormwater controls. According to DEP staff, in 2009 the County spent approximately $3 million for litter prevention and clean-up programs.

“Litter is a public health nuisance; it pollutes the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers (our source of drinking water) and drives up taxpayer-funded cleanup costs,” said DEP Director Hoyt. “In fact, County agencies spend about $3 million a year to clean up litter and bags are the most common component of this litter stream. This is too much money to spend on a problem that is wholly preventable. We know that in the first 18 months of their bag law, the District of Columbia reduced litter by 65 percent. We’re confident that Montgomery County can have the same results.”

Partners for the outreach campaign are: Audubon Naturalist Society, Barwood Taxi, Comcast, Discovery Communications, Giant, Green Wheaton, Identity, IMPACT Silver Spring, Johns Hopkins, Little Falls Watershed Alliance, Montgomery College, Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, Muddy Branch Alliance, Neighbors of Northwest Branch and North Bethesda Neighborhoods, MC Civic Federation. Also, Poolesville Green, Rock Creek Conservancy, Rockville Chamber of Commerce, Roots Market and Bark, Safeway Inc.- Eastern Division, Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp., Silver Spring Green, Surfrider Foundation DC, Universities at Shady Grove, Walmart, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Westfield, LLC and Whole Foods Market.

For more information about the law – for residents and retailers – plus, downloadable materials for businesses and community organizations, the campaign’s public service announcement, a list of the partners logos, a schedule of upcoming webinars for retailers and a community presentation, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/bag.

Also, follow us on Twitter @BringYourBagMC and on Facebook from www.montgomerycountymd.gov.