Madison Behind Neighboring Towns On Voting To Ban Plastic Bags

MADISON, CT - While dozens of towns across the state have voted in plastic bag ban ordinances in recent weeks, Madison isn’t quite there yet.

At the most recent Board of Selectmen meeting the Conservation Commission appeared before the Selectmen to ask what they needed to move to a vote on September 9, 2019 banning all single-use bags (plastic and paper) in Madison.

The Board reviewed the costs of plastic and paper bags as well as alternatives to single-use bags.

First Selectman Tom Banisch stated he agreed with the proposal of the Conservation Commission.

Selectman Bruce Wilson stated that he agreed with the proposal as well, but that the Town could also consider how to bring reusable bags to the public, including by having the Town sell them.

Selectman Scott Murphy stated that he agreed, but that the Town should “walk before they ran” and that the first step would be to ban single-use bags.

Selectman Wilson stated that the initiative works if the consumer can purchase reusable bags as an alternative to single- use bags. He also asked if there were other towns who were imposing a fee on paper bags.

The Board reviewed that they were in favor of the ban, but that the draft Ordinance would need legal review and public input and also to follow approval rules as set forth in the Town Charter.

Regardless of what an individual town, including Madison, does or does not do on the issue, On Aug. 1 (Thursday of next week) Connecticut shoppers who prefer plastic bags will be spending an extra dime for that right, according to a new Connecticut law.

The legislation also allows any towns that have passed ordinances on their own on plastic bag bans to supercede state law, as long as the town ordinances are equally or more restrictive than the state law passed.

Across the state, Branford, Guilford, Hamden, Mansfield, Middletown, New Canaan, New Britain, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Greenwich, Westport and among others are in the process of passing bans on single-use plastic bag.

Those who follow the issue in the state say about 30 towns are in the process of either finalizing or getting close to finalizing their own bans on plastic bags — and/or charging fees for their use.

Many towns who have passed plastic use bans on their own will not have their bans go into effect for awhile - many have set Jan. 1, 2020 - to give grocers time to use up inventory.