TOWN OF IPSWICH Public Works Department 25 Green Street, Ipswich, MA 01938
At the 2016 Spring Town Meeting, Ipswich residents voted to pass two bylaws: • Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban • Expanded Polystyrene (Styrofoam™) Ban
You will need to find alternatives IF your business … • Serves or packages prepared food/beverages in foam containers • Offers single-use, thin-film (< 3 mm) plastic bags with integral handles at the point of sale Bans will take effect on November 15, 2017. We are notifying businesses well in advance of the effective date to give ample time to use up product inventories, make needed changes and notify customers.
These plastics ban bylaws are intended to: • Reduce single-use, non-biodegradable disposables in Ipswich • Improve our environment ~ banned items commonly litter parks, roadsides and waterways • Enhance public health and safety • Reduce waste disposal
We anticipate widespread compliance and expect little need for enforcement. Educational outreach provided by the Ipswich DPW Recycling Coordinator is our first order of business. Persistent non-compliance will lead to warnings followed by fines. Enforcement details at IpswichRecycles.org.
In this packet you will find: • Frequently Asked Question sheets (one for each ban) • Vendor Lists (suppliers of approved alternatives) - We have also designed window posters, buttons and tags to remind customers to “Bring Your Own Bag!” See reverse side of this letter for details.
Sincerely,
Richard W. Clarke, DPW Director Office: (978) 356-6613 Marlene Faria Connelly, Recycling Coordinator [email protected] “Bring Your Own Bag” Posters, Buttons & Tags
- Print your own (8.5”x11”) Bring Your Own Bag! Poster. Download PDF at IpswichRecycles.org. - Printed B.Y.O.B.! Posters FREE along with (3.5”x2”) Tent Tags and/or Cashier Buttons Available at the DPW Office, Ipswich Town Hall
Important Resources: • IpswichRecycles.org • Follow: “Ipswich Recycles & Composts” on Facebook • DPW Staff Support: Marlene Faria Connelly, Recycling Coordinator - [email protected] - (978) 356-6613 F.A.Q. - Thin-Film, Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban Bylaw designed to eliminate thin-film, single-use plastic shopping bags at point
of sale by all retail establishments in the Town in Ipswich
Frequently Asked Questions & Definitions: What items are covered by the ban? Plastic bags, thickness 3.0 mm or thinner, with integral handles
What can I use instead? Reusable: thick-plastic, paper, fabric, or other durable/reusable material or biodegradable plastic
We urge you to encourage the use of reusable bags. Establishments MAY charge a reasonable fee for durable bags.
What items are exempt from this ban? Thin-plastic bags used to contain dry cleaning, newspapers, produce, meat, bulk foods, wet items or similar merchandise, typically without handles, are exempt from the provisions in the ban.
Where can I find approved alternatives? The Town of Ipswich has compiled a vendor list of some suppliers that provide approved alternatives (see flip side). For your convenience we have highlighted local vendors. As always, we encourage all to shop local!
Why do you use the term “establishments” rather than “businesses”? The ban defines the term “establishment” very broadly to have consistency across the community. ESTABLISHMENT: “Any business facility that sells goods directly to consumers, including, but not limited to, grocery stores, pharmacies, liquor stores, mini marts, or retail stores and vendors selling clothing, food, household or personal items.”
We welcome your feedback and questions. For updates and details, visit IpswichRecycles.org Marlene Faria Connelly, Recycling Coordinator [email protected] (978) 356 - 6613
Vendor List for Thin-Film, Single-Use Plastic Bag Alternatives Bylaw designed to eliminate thin-film, single-use plastic shopping bags at point of sale by all retail establishments in the Town in Ipswich
F.A.Q. - Expanded Polystyrene Foam Ban Bylaw designed to eliminate the use of all Expanded Polystyrene
(commonly known as Styrofoam™) food and drink containers in Ipswich
Frequently Asked Questions & Definitions:
What items are covered by the ban? Disposable food service containers are any single-use disposable containers used for serving or transporting prepared, ready-to-eat food or beverages, including, but not limited to, takeout foods or leftovers from partially consumed meals prepared by a food establishment. This ban includes, but is not limited to, plates, cups, bowls, trays and hinged or lidded containers, but does not include single-use disposable packaging for unprepared foods.
Please define “food establishment,” “restaurant” and “retail food establishment.” Food establishment: “Any operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends or otherwise provides food for human consumption. Any establishment requiring a permit to operate in accordance with the Ipswich Board of Health shall be considered a food establishment.” Restaurant: “Any establishment that serves food for consumption, whether on or off premises” Retail food establishment: “Any establishment that sells food for consumption off premises, including, but not limited to, grocery stores, theaters, and all other food service establishments not included in the definition of a ‘restaurant’ above.”
What is considered a “prepared food” for the purposes of this ban? “Any food or beverage prepared on establishment’s premises, using any cooking or food preparation technique” This does not include raw uncooked meat, fish or eggs unless provided for consumption without further food preparation.
Where can I find approved alternative packaging? The Town of Ipswich has compiled a vendor list of some suppliers that provide approved packaging alternatives (see flip side). As always, we encourage all to shop local!
We welcome your feedback and questions. For updates and details, visit IpswichRecycles.org. Marlene Faria Connelly, Recycling Coordinator [email protected] (978) 356-6613 Vendor List for Expanded Polystyrene Foam Alternatives Bylaw designed to eliminate the use of all Expanded Polystyrene (commonly known as Styrofoam™) food and drink containers in Ipswich