What Is It?
Chestertown’s plastic bag ban prohibits retail establishments from providing plastic carryout bags to customers. The plastic bag ban was approved by the Town via Ordinance No. 04-2024, which passed on April 15, 2024. The Ordinance can be viewed in detail here.
How Does it Work?
Retail establishments can no longer provide plastic carryout bags to customers. Retail establishments may offer customers paper bags for a fee of not less than $0.10 per bag. This $0.10 fee will be kept by the retailer. Shoppers can bring their own reusable bags for purchases to avoid the $0.10 per bag fee and save businesses the cost of the paper bags. The intended goal is for customers to use reusable bags to cut down on the massive amounts of waste and litter caused by plastic bags.
When Does it Take Effect?
The plastic bag ban went into effect May 9, 2024. However, the Town is giving retailers until January 1, 2025 to fully implement the ban allowing retailers time to reduce their inventory of plastic bags, convert to paper bags, and train staff.
Where Does it Apply?
The plastic bag ban applies to all retail establishments within Chestertown’s town limits.
Are There Exceptions to the Ordinance?
Yes. The plastic bag ban does not apply to plastic bags used solely to: 1) package bulk items including fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, candy, or small hardware items; 2) wrap frozen foods, fish, meant, or cheese; 3) wrap flowers or potted plants; 4) contain unwrapped prepared foods or bakery goods; 5) contain a newspaper; 6) protect dry-cleaned garments, suits, dresses, and formal wear; 7) contain ice; 8) or contain live fish, bait, insects, mollusks, or crustaceans. The ban also does not apply to plastic bags sold in packages containing multiple plastic bags for outside use.
Excluded from the ordinance are nonprofit fraternal, civic, veterans’, religious, or charitable organizations that do not serve food to the public more often than four days per week except for a one-year period of 30 consecutive days.
Does the Ordinance Affect the Chestertown Farmers’ Market?
No. The Ordinance does not affect the Chestertown Farmers’ Market vendors or cottage food businesses.
What Is the Purpose of the Plastic Bag Ban?
The purpose of the plastic bag ban is to protect the environment, human health, and animal and marine life by reducing plastic litter. Plastic bags take up to 1,000 years to degrade and break up into tiny, microscopic pieces that get deposited in soils (where we grow food) and contaminate waterways. The bags can also be mistaken for food by animals in our Chester River and Chesapeake Bay. The charge for retailer-provided paper bags is designed to encourage residents to bring their own reusable bags when shopping and to reduce the demand for single-use items.
Nancy McGuire says
I have been told by a cashier just yesterday at Acme that the 10 cents goes to Town of Chestertown. ??? It left an unpleasant impression. Entity passing law benefit by that law? Maybe a sign in markets would clarify this misconception.
DAVID WING says
May use plasticthat I bring bring my own and use them?