Easttown Township: Public Hearing Scheduled On Plastic Bag Ban

EASTTOWN TWP, PA —Pennsylvania does not have a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, but several municipalities have issued bans.

They include Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; Haverford and West Goshen townships, and the boroughs of Narberth and West Chester.

To reduce pollution, litter and waste, Easttown Township supervisors have proposed an ordinance to ban single-use of plastic bags in local businesses.

A public hearing is scheduled at 7 p.m. in the township building, 566 Beaumont Road.

If the ordinance is passed, businesses will no longer be permitted to provide single-use, plastic carry-out bags starting on Jan.1, 2023.

According to the proposed ordinance:

• Recyclable paper bags and carry-out cloth bags could be used.
• Single-use plastic bags would be banned, excluding bags for produce and wrapped meats.
• For the first six months, businesses would be required to post signs alerting customers of the new policy.
• A written warning would be issued for a violation. A fine of $100 will be imposed for the first violation, and go up for each subsequent violation.

The purpose of the ordinance is to preserve the residents right to clean air, pure water, and protect streams, rivers and waterways.

Plastic bags often get stuck in streams, sewers and trees, and the township does not have a method to recycle them, according to the proposed ordinance.

The proposed ordinance is available here.

In July 2019, West Chester Borough Council banned single use plastic bags, effective July 2020, with enforcement beginning Jan. 1, 2022.

Under West Chester’s ordinance:

• Businesses are required to charge 10 cents per use of recyclable paper bags.
• Businesses may request exemptions for review by a borough committee.
• Businesses violating the ordinance will receive a written warning and escalating fines for successive violations.