Biddeford bans single-use plastic bags, Legislature considers statewide ban
Biddeford has joined a growing number of Maine communities in banning single-use plastic bags.
Last week’s vote by Biddeford City Council applies to all grocery and convenience stores, markets, pharmacies, restaurants, take-out food, temporary and seasonal businesses, and other merchant retailers in the city. The ordinance will go into effect on July 15, to allow retailers to use their existing inventory of plastic bags. After July 15, retailers who violate the ordinance will be subject to a $250 fine for the first violation and a $500 fine for each subsequent violation in a one-year period.
In a news release the city said the ban was enacted because of concerns over the environmental impacts of single-use plastic bags, as well as to address recent recycling contamination issues the city has been facing.
“Many people think that they should bag their recyclables before putting them in the recycling bin, but plastic bags are actually not accepted in the curbside recycling program,” said Public Works Director Jeff Demers. “The bags interfere with the sorting process at the recycling facility and are the biggest source of recycling contamination in our community.”
The city said its public works department’s educational efforts have cut recycling contamination rates from 40% to 18% since July 2018, but plastic bags remain to be a problem. The public works department is working to reduce the contamination rate to about 8% throughout the coming months.
With recycling markets changing internationally, the city may be charged fees if recycling contamination issues continue, according to the news release.
“Plastic bags are convenient, but with the costly issues that they create within our recycling program, and the increasing evidence of environmental damage from plastics in all areas of our environment, it is appropriate and important that we adjust our lives and our habits to not only save tax dollars, but do what is right,” said Mayor Alan Casavant.
Under Biddeford’s ordinance, stores may still choose to provide paper bags to customers for free or for a fee. Clean paper bags are accepted in the city’s curbside recycling program. Plastic bags without handles that are used for produce or meat may still be provided at grocery stores, but are prohibited in the city’s blue single-sort recycling bins.
Lawmakers eye statewide ban
Biddeford’s action comes as lawmakers in Augusta consider legislation that, if enacted into law, would create a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags at retail stores.
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a public hearing last Wednesday on LD 1532, “An Act To Eliminate Single-use Plastic Carry-out Bags,” which would prohibit retail stores from using single-use carry-out bags. As written, the bill would exempt the following uses of plastic bags:
- Bags provided by a pharmacy to a customer for transporting a prescription medication away from the store
- Bags without handles used to protect items from being damaged or from damaging or contaminating other purchased items placed in a recycled paper bag or a reusable bag
- Bags used by customers inside a retail establishment to package loose items, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, grains, bakery
goods, candy, greeting cards or small hardware items; to contain or wrap frozen foods, meats or fish; or to contain or wrap flowers or potted plants
- Laundry, dry cleaning or garment bags, including bags provided by a hotel to guests to contain wet or dirty clothing or bags provided to protect large garments like suits, jackets or dresses
- Newspaper bags
- Bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended to contain garbage, pet waste or yard waste
- Bags used to contain live animals, such as fish or insects sold in pet stores
- Bags used for vehicle tires
- Bags used to transport chemical pesticides, drain cleaning chemicals or other caustic chemicals sold at a retail establishment
- Bags used by a hunger relief organization such as a food pantry or soup kitchen to distribute food directly to the consumer at no charge
- Bags that customers bring to the retail establishment for their own use or for carrying away from the retail establishment goods that are not placed in a bag provided by the retail establishment.
The proposed bill states that retail stores may provide recyclable paper bags at the point of sale for at least 5¢ per bag.
If approved and signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills the statewide prohibition would take effect on April 22, 2020.
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