Supermarkets and retailers in Montgomery County will begin charging customers five cents for shopping bags Jan. 1.  The tax is expected to decrease disposable bag consumption and raise money – a predicted $1 million in its first year –  to go to clean-up projects, as well as reusable bags for poor and elderly citizens, according to the Washington Post.

The policy, proposed by county executive Ike Leggett, is inspired by D.C.’s five-cent bag tax, which began in Jan. 2010.  The D.C. tax raised $2 million in its first year and curbed paper and plastic bag use by 60 percent.

Green Team president and senior Sonia Max said she believes the tax will be successful in encouraging the use of reusable bags rather than throw-aways.

“A lot of stores have a reusable bag that they sell,” she said.  “For people who haven’t taken advantage of that system, I think the bag tax will encourage them to do so.”

The tax applies to paper or plastic bags.  Newspaper bags, garbage bags, takeout bags and bags from farmers’ markets will be exempt.