Earlier this month, Barrington became the first town in Rhode Island to ban plastic checkout bags.
The Town Council approved the two-year ban at all retail stores, farmers’ markets, flea markets and restaurants starting January 1, 2013. Under the ban, stores will still be able to use plastic produce, bakery and deli counter bags and retailers will be able to charge a five cent fee for recyclable paper bags. Of course, shoppers who bring their own reusable bags (custom or otherwise!) don’t have to pay anything.
“We applaud the town council’s decision to move forward with this initiative to protect the Bay and local waterways from plastic bag pollution,” said Channing Jones, Program Associate with Environment Rhode Island, a citizen-based advocacy group. “Nothing we use for five minutes should pollute the Bay for future generations.”
Some stores had already phased out plastic bags in anticipation of the vote. Shaw’s Supermarkets voluntarily banned plastic bags at its Barrington location in August. We imagine they’re cranking out all sorts of custom reusable bags to sell to customers!
Town resident Diane Barrons said, “Sometimes people need some legal promptings in order to do what is best for themselves and their community,” We couldn’t agree more!
We, of course, foresee a major increase in custom reusable bags ! We think it’s kind of fun to walk around the market and check out all the different bag styles, logos, and messages on the side of reusable bags. Of course, that’s what we eat, sleep, and breathe, but still…they’re much more interesting to look at than plastic bags!
The ban has a two-year sunset clause, so it will expire in January 2015 if it is not renewed. We hope that by then, plastic bags in grocery stores will be a thing of the past and the ban won’t need to be renewed!
