Shoppers at all Marine Corps Exchanges and shops on Hawaii are getting a five-cent credit for each reusable bag they use or being assessed a five-cent fee for every paper bag issued.

Marine Corps Community Services is starting a one-year countdown to elimination of all paper bags, the Marine base said today in a release.

The purpose of this initiative is to lessen the impact on local landfills and save money. Last year, Marine Corps Community Services used more than 1.2 million paper bags for its customers at a cost of more than $170,000.

In October 2008, Col. Robert Rice, Marine Corps base commander, announced that Marine Corps Exchanges needed to eliminate plastic bags.

On Jan. 1, 2009, Marine Corps Community Services stopped buying plastic bags and began using paper bags at retail facilities while encouraging customers to bring reusable bags.