Disposable Shopping Bag Ban Revised Ordinance

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Disposable Shopping Bag Ban Revised Ordinance Disposable Shopping Bag Ban Revised Ordinance Luyi Cheng October 8, 2020 Sustainability Intern Environment Board Meeting To reach our zero waste goal, Eliminating plastic bags will reduce the City’s use of plastic and waste But the existing ordinance has two major loopholes: ● Allows plastic bags over 2.25 mils thick ● Exempts stores under size requirement In May, Staff presented a draft of the ordinance This draft included two major revisions: ● Definition of banned “disposable shopping bag” includes thicker plastic bags ● All sales tax-paying businesses must follow the ordinance New sections: ● Customers will be charged a $0.10 fee per checkout bag ● $0.10 fee will be split, $0.05 will be kept by business and $0.05 remitted to City ● Exemptions for assistance program recipients (SNAP and Evanston benefit card) ● Requires businesses to participate in public engagement Revisions to proposed ordinance Regarding exemptions to plastic bag ban: “Provided, however, that this Section shall not apply if the operator does not provide disposable plastic shopping bags of any type to its customers.” Staff revisions: ● Businesses who have not provided disposable shopping bags prior to the ordinance are not required to adhere to the requirement to provide approved bags. Example: ● Aldi will not be required to provide checkout bags under this ordinance because they do not currently provide checkout bags. Revisions to proposed ordinance Regarding definition of “DISPOSABLE PLASTIC SHOPPING BAG”: “Are biodegradable bags that are commercially compostable OK? Consider adding a definitions section to clarify the differences between biodegradable, compostable, etc.” Staff revisions: ● Added an additional definition for ‘COMPOSTABLE BAG’: BPI-certified and will be allowed for pre-checkout bagging for fresh produce. ● Defined under ‘DISPOSABLE SHOPPING BAG’ that compostable plastic will not be allowed for checkout bagging. Addressing comments from previous memo Comments from Caroline Peyer and Jerri Garl: “What about single use plastic bags you use to pack vegetables and fruits at the grocery store? Any intention to include these in the future? Are there any other cities/communities experience with that?” “Good point. Would compostable plastic bags be exempt? Have other communities done that?” Staff response: ● Revised ordinance allows plastic bags for pre-checkout produce or fresh product bagging. ● Cities such as San Francisco have recently phased out non-compostable plastic in their policies to only allow BPI-certified compostable plastic. Addressing comments from previous memo Comment from Wendy Pollock: “Given practices that have taken hold during the pandemic, this may need especially careful (and reality based) discussion with both businesses and public.” Next steps ● On October 8, 2020: seek feedback from Environment Board ● Bring to the City Manager for further direction Future stakeholder engagement ● Comments from Economic Development Committee ● Feedback from Business District and the Chamber of Commerce ● Individual business outreach ● Assistance program coordination References and resources Evanston’s CARP: https://www.cityofevanston.org/home/showdocument?id=45170 Evanston plastic bag ordinance: https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/departments/public-works/policies/shopping-bag-ordinance San Francisco plastic bag ordinance: https://sfenvironment.org/checkout-bag-ordinance Thank you, questions?.
Recommended publications
  • Plastic Laws: Definitions
    ELAW: Terms and Definitions from Plastic Laws Country Name of law if clear Link to law Term used Definition Estonia Waste Act https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/520012015021/consolideagricultural plastic means silage wrap film, silage covering film, tunnel film, net wrap, and plastic twine Australia, WA Environmental Protection (Plastichttps://www.slp.wa.gov.au/pco/prod/filestore.nsf/FileURL/mrdoc_41671.pdf/$FILE/Environmental%20Protection%20(Plastic%20Bags)%20Regulations%202018%20-%20%5B00-c0-00%5D.pdf?OpenElement Bags) Regulations 2018Barrier bag a plastic bag without handles used to carry unpackaged perishable food Environment Management (Container Deposit) Regulations Fiji 2011 https://files.elaw.org/app/index.do#storage/files/1/Shared/Documents/Legal/plastic/Laws_ByCountry/Fiji?pbeverage container means a jar, carton, can, bottle made of glass, polyethylene terephalate (PET) or aluminum that is or was sealed by its manufacturer External Policy: Environmental Levy on Plastic Bags Manufactured South Africa in South Africa https://www.sars.gov.za/AllDocs/OpsDocs/Policies/SE-PB-02%20-%20Environmental%20Levy%20on%20Plastic%20Bags%20Manufactured%20in%20South%20Africa%20-%20External%20Policy.pdfBin Liners A plastic bag used for lining a rubbish bin. Bahamas, The Environmental Protection (Control of Plastic Pollution)biodegradable Act, 2019 single-use plastic bag that is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms Ville de Montreal By-Law 16- Canada, Montreal 051 http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/sel/sypre-consultation/afficherpdf?idDoc=27530&typeDoc=1biodegradable
    [Show full text]
  • Reducing the Distribution of Single-Use Shopping Bags: a Resource Guide for BC Retailers
    Reducing the Distribution of Single-use Shopping Bags: A Resource Guide for BC Retailers Reducing the Distribution of Single-use Shopping Bags: A Resource Guide for BC Retailers Table of Contents Why Reduce the Distribution of Single-use Shopping Bags? 1 Reducing the Distribution of Single-use Shopping Bags 2 Introduce a Fee 2 Offer a Resuable Bag 2 Provide In-store Recycling 3 Develop a Communications Strategy 3 Develop a Training Program 3 Develop a Green Program 3 Creating a Single-use Bag Reduction Program 4 Staff Training 5 Sourcing a Good Reusable Bag 6 Promoting Proper Bag Recycling 7 Appendix A - Single-use Bag Reduction Plans 8 Single-use Bag Reduction Plan 8 Single-use Bag Elimination Plan 9 Appendix B – Templates for Signage and Till Stickers 10 Appendix C – Sample Scripts for Training Staff on Customer Interaction 11-12 Appendix D - Endnotes 13 Reducing the Distribution of Single-use Shopping Bags: A Resource Guide for BC Retailers i Why Reduce the Distribution of Single-use Shopping Bags? Canadians use somewhere between nine billion and 15 billion plastic bags every year, enough to circle the Earth more than 55 times if 1 tied together . Over two million plastic shopping bags are disposed of in the garbage every week in the City of Vancouver, with 63% of 2 them having been re-used for garbage and pet waste . The manufacture and transportation of plastic bags consume significant amounts of non-renewable resources and they are not bio-degradable. We do not know for sure how long plastic bags will take to break down.
    [Show full text]
  • Winter Camping
    Winter Camping OK. So how do you stay warm while camping in the snow? Cotton – Cotton is bad for staying warm while being active in winter weather. Once cotton gets wet it loses ALL of its ability to keep you warm and in fact wet cotton will begin to draw heat away from your body. Wool and synthetic fabrics such as polypropylene are much better cold weather fabrics. Both of them can still provide warmth even when wet. Layering - Layering always gets mentioned because it always works. It works because it creates more dead air space around the body to trap more warm air. But not only does it help warm the body, it helps to cool you off and keep you from sweating during periods of high activity. Perspiration needs to be limited because soon after clothing gets wet, people get cold. So layering is important in regulating your temperature. Sometimes it is important to stay cool now so your layers can help you be warm later. Several thin layers are more effective than a single thick layer. Hands - Layering works great for keeping your hands warm too. A good way to accomplish this is to use a thin knit glove in inside an outer mitten with a nylon shell. Mittens are warmer than gloves and by having that extra layer provided by a liner glove, a more effective insulation layer is formed. When more dexterity is needed, the mitten can be removed temporarily and still have the hand covered with the liner glove. A liner glove can be just a simple thin knit glove without an outer nylon shell.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lasting Impacts of Mass Consumerism and the Disposable Culture: a Proposition for the Development of Plastic Shopping Bag Bans in Texas Law
    St. Mary's Law Journal Volume 51 Number 2 Article 1 4-2020 The Lasting Impacts of Mass Consumerism and the Disposable Culture: A Proposition for the Development of Plastic Shopping Bag Bans in Texas Law David Brewster Brewster Law Firm Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.stmarytx.edu/thestmaryslawjournal Part of the Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Law Commons, Environmental Policy Commons, Jurisprudence Commons, Law and Society Commons, Legal Remedies Commons, Legislation Commons, Litigation Commons, Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law Commons, Other Environmental Sciences Commons, Public Law and Legal Theory Commons, and the State and Local Government Law Commons Recommended Citation David Brewster, The Lasting Impacts of Mass Consumerism and the Disposable Culture: A Proposition for the Development of Plastic Shopping Bag Bans in Texas Law, 51 ST. MARY'S L.J. 271 (2020). Available at: https://commons.stmarytx.edu/thestmaryslawjournal/vol51/iss2/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the St. Mary's Law Journals at Digital Commons at St. Mary's University. It has been accepted for inclusion in St. Mary's Law Journal by an authorized editor of Digital Commons at St. Mary's University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Brewster: Plastic Shopping Bag Bans in Texas Law ARTICLE THE LASTING IMPACTS OF MASS CONSUMERISM AND THE DISPOSABLE CULTURE: A PROPOSITION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLASTIC SHOPPING BAG BANS IN TEXAS LAW DAVID BREWSTER* I. Introduction ........................................................................................... 272 II. Background ............................................................................................ 275 A. Impacts on the Environment ....................................................... 275 B. Impacts on Urban Development: The Home-Rule City ........
    [Show full text]
  • Plastic Bags Came Into Full Effect on 1 November 2013, with the Implementation of the Plastic Shopping Bags Ban Act 2013
    Plastic Bag Ban Frequently Asked Questions When did the ban start? The ban on lightweight plastic bags came into full effect on 1 November 2013, with the implementation of the Plastic Shopping Bags Ban Act 2013. Which bags are banned? The plastic shopping bag ban prohibits Tasmanian retailers from supplying shoppers with lightweight (less than 35 microns) plastic shopping bags, to carry or transport goods bought from the retailer. The degree of variability in plastic bags suggests that sourcing bags greater than about 40 microns would help reduce the chance that no part of the bag is under the 35 micron limit. Why are retailers still providing plastic bags? The ban was introduced to reduce the number of lightweight plastic shopping bags in the environment. Thicker plastic shopping bags are considered to be reusable so are not banned. What penalties will apply? Retailers who don’t comply with the ban may be issued with an Infringement Notice. If prosecuted through the Courts, fines of up to 20 penalty units for individuals and 100 penalty units for businesses and organisations may be imposed. Note: The current value for penalty units is published on the Department of Justice website. Can retailers charge for bags? Under the legislation, retailers are not required to charge customers a fee for bags they supply. Retailers can choose to charge a fee or continue to incorporate the cost of bags in the goods they sell. Which bags can retailers provide you with? The plastic shopping bag ban applies to lightweight (<35 microns), non- biodegradable plastic bags only.
    [Show full text]
  • Charges for Plastic Bags: Motivational and Behavioral Effects
    JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, 2014. Charges for plastic bags: Motivational and behavioral effects. Adriana Jakovcevic;, Linda Steg, Nadia Mazzeo, Romina Caballero, Paul Franco, Natalia Putrino y Jesica Favara. Cita: Adriana Jakovcevic;, Linda Steg, Nadia Mazzeo, Romina Caballero, Paul Franco, Natalia Putrino y Jesica Favara (2014). Charges for plastic bags: Motivational and behavioral effects. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY,. Dirección estable: https://www.aacademica.org/romina.caballero/5 Esta obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons. Para ver una copia de esta licencia, visite http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.es. Acta Académica es un proyecto académico sin fines de lucro enmarcado en la iniciativa de acceso abierto. Acta Académica fue creado para facilitar a investigadores de todo el mundo el compartir su producción académica. Para crear un perfil gratuitamente o acceder a otros trabajos visite: http://www.aacademica.org. Accepted Manuscript Charges for plastic bags: Motivational and behavioral effects Adriana Jakovcevic, Linda Steg, Nadia Mazzeo, Romina Caballero, Paul Franco, Natalia Putrino, Jesica Favara PII: S0272-4944(14)00086-3 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.09.004 Reference: YJEVP 892 To appear in: Journal of Environmental Psychology Received Date: 8 March 2014 Revised Date: 9 September 2014 Accepted Date: 20 September 2014 Please cite this article as: Jakovcevic, A., Steg, L., Mazzeo, N., Caballero, R., Franco, P., Putrino, N., Favara, J., Charges for plastic bags: Motivational and behavioral effects, Journal of Environmental Psychology (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.09.004. This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication.
    [Show full text]
  • Reducing Our Use: Plastic Shopping Bags
    Reducing Our Use: Plastic Shopping Bags Thurston County Solid Waste 1 Reducing Our Use: Plastic Shopping Bags November 8, 2012 Written by: Thurston County Solid Waste: Meagan Boehner Loni Hanka Terri Thomas Thurston County Solid Waste Advisory Committee Plastic Bag Subcommittee: George Barner Delroy Cox Burt Guttman Ed Hildreth Ron Lawson Michelle Morris Diana Wall 2 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 4 2. WHAT ARE THE ISSUES? ......................................................................................... 5 Use of Resources ......................................................................................................... 5 Litter and Storm Drains ................................................................................................. 5 Cost to Retailers ........................................................................................................... 6 Marine Impacts ............................................................................................................. 6 Solid Waste Industry ..................................................................................................... 8 3. WHICH BAG IS BEST? ............................................................................................... 9 Number of Disposable Bags Replaced by One Reusable Bag. .................................. 10 4. WHAT IS BEING DONE ELSEWHERE? .................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • SINGLE-USE PLASTICS a Roadmap for Sustainability
    SINGLE-USE PLASTICS A Roadmap for Sustainability (rev. 2) Copyright © United Nations Environment Programme, 2018 Reproduction This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The United Nations Environment Programme would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the United Nations Environment Programme. Disclaimer The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations Environment Programme concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Moreover, the views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme, nor does citing of trade names or commercial processes constitute endorsement. Mention of a commercial company or product in this publication does not imply endorsement by the United Nations Environment Programme. ISBN: 978-92-807-3705-9 DTI/2179/JP Suggested citation: UNEP (2018). SINGLE-USE PLASTICS: A Roadmap for Sustainability (Rev. ed., pp. vi; 6). Credits © Photos, and illustrations as specified. The International Environmental Technology Centre works with developing countries to implement sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, with focus on holistic waste management. UNEP promotes environmentally sound practices globally and in its own activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Utilisation of Polyethylene (Plastic) Shopping Bags Waste for Soil Improvement in Sandy Soils
    Utilisation of polyethylene (plastic) shopping bags waste for soil improvement in sandy soils Utilisation des déchets de sacs en polyéthylène (plastiques) pour l'amélioration des sols sableux Kalumba D., Chebet F.C. University of Cape Town, South Africa ABSTRACT: This study investigated the possibility of utilising polytheylene shopping bags waste to reinforce soils to pave way for its use in civil engineering projects such as in road bases, embankments and slope stabilisation. A series of direct shear tests was undertaken on soil-plastic composites of two selected sandy soils: Klipheuwel and Cape Flats sands. Strips of shredded plastic material were used as reinforcement inclusions at concentrations of up to 0.3% by weight. The effect of varying dimensions of the strips was investigated by using strip lengths from 15 mm to 45 mm and strip widths from 6 mm to 18 mm. Shear strength parameters were obtained for composite specimen from which analyses were done to identify the extent of soil improvement. The testing programme involved addition of solid strips as well as perforated strips with varied diameter of perforations to examine the effect of the openings on the strips. Laboratory results obtained favourably suggest that inclusion of this material in sandy soils would be effective for ground improvement in geotechnical engineering. RÉSUMÉ : Cette étude a examiné la possibilité de l’utilisation des déchets des sacs d’épicerie en polyéthylène pour renforcer les sols afin de promouvoir son intégration dans les projets de génie civil tels que les couches d’assise des routes, les remblais et la stabilité des pentes.
    [Show full text]
  • Items Required for Pathfinder Hikes
    Items Required for Pathfinder Hikes This is a suggested checklist of items to bring with you on a Pathfinder pack hike. The items in Red are mandatory and without these you will be unable to participate in Pathfinder hikes. The remainder of the items are included as a guide to help you remember/decide what to bring. Remember: Your pack must be no more than 1/4 of your weight. Ideally, less than 1/5 of your weight. Nobody cares what you look like out there. Our main concern is your safety, so looking cool has to take a back seat to sensible clothing. We live in a climate which can be dangerously cold for a good portion of the year. If we want to enjoy the outdoors in safety we all need to ensure that we have some essential gear. Avoid wearing cotton!! Cotton absorbs sweat, stays wet and makes you cold. By the way, jeans are made from cotton. Please don't risk your safety by coming hiking in jeans. We will not allow you to come hiking if you come in jeans. If you get wet and cold and get hypothermia it will ruin your's and everyone else's hike. Clothing Thermals (Long johns and long sleeves) Preferably polypropylene. These are quick drying and wick moisture away from your skin keeping you warmer. If you can afford wool thermals, good luck to you. These are less likely to smell from body odour but are around $100 a piece. Polar Fleece Any jacket or pullover made from polar fleece.
    [Show full text]
  • Pleasant Plastic Projects Bottle Bottoms Apple Container
    Pleasant Plastic Projects Bottle Bottoms Apple Container Materials: • 2 bottoms of liter bottles (recommend 1-2 liters) per person • Exacto knife and scissors • Spray paint that adheres to plastic (if desired a red apple, or lighter green than the bottles come). Painters tape • Zippers (2 liter is a 14 inch zipper) (amazon or Jo-Ann Fabric are good sources) • Glue Gun or extra strong double sided tape. • Felt or heavy construction paper (brown and green) for stem and leaf Directions: • First cut the bottoms off the bottles, I used the label to guide a straight line, first cutting with the exacto knife and then finishing with scissors. make sure the bottles are clean and dry before continuing • If looking for a different color than the actual bottle color spray paint the inside of the bottle bottoms (outside could be painted but could also get scratched easier). • If spraying the inside: Make sure you tape the outside of the bottle bottoms with painters’ tape so you don’t get spray paint on the outside surface. Spray lightly to achieve an even coat that doesn’t have drips or pools of wet paint, you’ll need to apply a several coats but you only need to wait a couple minutes between paint coats. • When the paint is dry, remove the blue painters’ tape • Using the hot glue gun or double-sided tape to attach the zipper to the outside rim of the bottles. o Trim off the extra flaps at the ends of the zippers (otherwise this will likely get in your way as it overlaps.
    [Show full text]
  • Plastic Shopping Bags
    Plastic Shopping Bags: An Analysis of Policy Instruments for Plastic Bag Reduction Rachel Marie Miller Thesis submitted to the Universiteit Utrecht in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MSc Sustainable Development Faculty of Geosciences Universiteit Utrecht 2012 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my family and friends. You have all been so supportive in helping me follow my path. I knew what I wanted, and you never waivered in your support. You have been my rock. To D.G.M., You always asked for my best, because you knew I could. I felt you helping me along the way. A deep laugh, A warm soul, My Grandpa 1 Table of Contents Figures and Tables ............................................................................................................................3 Abstract.............................................................................................................................................4 I. Introduction to Plastic Shopping Bags .................................................................................5 1.1 Plastic Shopping Bags ..............................................................................................................6 1.2 The Plastic Bag Issue ...............................................................................................................9 1.3 Need for Intervention ...............................................................................................................12 II. Methodology ........................................................................................................................16
    [Show full text]