PCC Rid of Plastic Shopping Bags

By KATHY MULADY
P-I REPORTER

PCC Natural Markets announced Wednesday that starting Oct. 1, it won't offer plastic grocery bags to customers in its eight stores. Paper bags will still be available, and customers will be encouraged to bring their own sacks or totes.

"While this decision to eliminate plastic shopping bags will entail some additional cost, it's simply the right thing to do," PCC Chief Executive Tracy Wolpert said.

"We have studied the environmental impact of paper versus plastic and believe that paper is the more sustainable choice, while bag reuse is the best choice of all."

Spokeswoman Trudy Bialic said the company goes through about 3.3 million plastic grocery sacks in a year. Switching to all paper is expected to cost the company about $100,000 more.

Last month, the Seattle City Council approved a "zero waste" strategy for the city to increase recycling and reduce trash. In the future, the council is expected to consider bans on such items as plastic grocery bags and plastic foam.

"We don't want to wait for the City Council to tell us what to do. We can do it ourselves," Bialic said. "We had to stick our necks out and say this is the right thing to do, and we are going to do it."

Bialic said she doesn't know if the store will go a step further and reduce other plastics, such as produce bags.

"Understanding the impacts associated with the production and emissions from plastic really got our attention," she said. Company research showed that nationwide, just 1 percent of plastic grocery sacks are recycled, she said.

Bialic said the company will encourage other retailers to reduce their use of plastic bags.

PCC is a Seattle-based organic retail cooperative with stores in Seward Park, View Ridge, Greenlake, West Seattle, Fremont, Kirkland, Redmond and Issaquah. It has about 40,000 active members and annual sales of $110 million.
P-I reporter Kathy Mulady can be reached at 206-448-8029 or kathymulady@seattlepi.com.