CHESTERTOWN, Md.- If you shop in large retail stores in Chestertown you will get a paper bag, not plastic. A plastic bag ban went in effect Thursday in an effort to go green.
People in Chestertown will no longer have the option of paper or plastic. From now on, they will have to use paper.
"I think it's a good idea and that it is going to help the environment in the long run," said Corinda Coleman of Chestertown. The Chestertown Town Council listed 11 reasons why the ordinance made sense.
Among them were: plastic bags clog storm water drains, sewer lines and they are not degradable in he environment. Some customers choose plastic bags over paper so they re-use them in other ways.
"I like plastic bags, I re-use them for my garbage cans," said Judy Breese. "The paper bags break through easier and if you have to go up and down stairs, they are heavy and these bags aren't so great anyway."
The Town Council members the bill last March. The town's main supermarkets like ACME and Fresh and Greens both switched to paper bags this week to prepare for Thursday.
When the bill was proposed to the public, a number of individuals signed a petition that objected to banning plastic bags, but they were unable to acquire enough signatures.
