The Guinness Book of World Records says they are the most ubiquitous consumer item in the world, but the retail plastic bag will head to Rye’s version of “death row” if the City Council approves a resolution to ban them at their December 7 meeting.

 

By Jim Byrne

The Guinness Book of World Records says they are the most ubiquitous consumer item in the world, but the retail plastic bag will head to Rye’s version of “death row” if the City Council approves a resolution to ban them at their December 7 meeting.

The purpose is to encourage the use of reusable checkout bags while eliminating the plastic types that damage the environment. The ordinance would go into effect six months after the vote to give merchants, many of which support the plan, time to exhaust supplies.

 

Spearheaded by the Sustainability Committee, the ban would include all types of plastic bags save for those used to carry produce and meats, as well as dry cleaner bags. Sara Goddard, Chair of the Sustainability Committee, stressed the ordinance would take pressure off merchants, and noted that not one citation has been issued yet in Westport, where plastic bags were banned in 2009. The penalty for a violation in Rye would be $150.

“The plastic bag symbolizes our throwaway culture, and that’s probably why people feel so passionately about it,” said Goddard. “The problem is universal even though the plastic bag has only existed since 1975, and it’s a huge part of a persistent waste stream.”

 

At the November 16 City Council meeting, the discussion lasted over 80 minutes.

 

“I can’t begin to tell you how many plastic bags came down in the flood,” said Christine Siller, Rye Nature Center Executive Director. “It’s a habitat and flooding issue, and an easy one to fix. Just sign, vote, get it done, and move on to the budget problem!”

 

Jerry and Martha McGuire, who own Jerry’s Post Road Market, noted they’re in the service industry, and if you don’t give customers what they want, they’ll go someplace else. They added they are all for reusable bags, but some customers prefer plastic for messier foods.

 

Councilwoman Suzanna Keith wondered if a provision could be added for those cases, but Councilman Peter Jovanovich said there was risk in creating a “pretty big loophole” for bagging soups and similar food items.

 

“We were all used to life before this plastic,” the Councilman added. “We bought Chinese food to take home and all sorts of messy stuff. Somehow or another we got through life. There should be no exceptions for sloppy things.