Nation's Capital Imposes New Tax on Bags

BYOB. Now it means bring your own bag.

Under a tax that went into effect Jan. 1, Washington, D.C., shoppers will have to pay an extra nickel for every paper or plastic bag they use from any business that sells food or alcohol.

The fee is intended to cut down on litter and encourage people to bring their own reusable bags to shop.

MyFoxDC.com reports that for every nickel collected, one cent goes to the retailer and four cents goes toward cleaning up the notoriously polluted Anacostia River, which flows through the nation's capital.

Though some customers are not happy about the tax, stores like Giant and CVS reportedly will hand out reusable bags for free to get people started.

Click here for more on this story from MyFoxDC.com.