The previously mentioned Chicago Tribune notes that a single plastic bag costs the business only $.04 to $.06. Hence, there is little cause to their overuse and this results in the routine use of plastic bags for singular items such as a bottle of water, a pack of batteries, or a package of gum. If refused by responsible consumer, the bagger will simply return the bag with a sigh of exasperation, or worse will simply throw the bag out as if it has become contaminated holding a pack of gum in it for two seconds.