CHESTER, Md. - Efforts are being made for Queen Anne's county to become plastic-free.
The organization Plastic Free QAC started the organization to ban plastic bags. But, they're hoping to make it state-wide.
Plastic Free QAC says the nuisance of the plastic bag needs to be stopped. They starting locally. They've had volunteers stand outside of grocery stores and count people leaving with plastic or reusable bags. During their 2019 study, 8% of people came out of stores with reusable bags and 85% of those came out with plastic bags. Butt their 2022 study showed increased use of plastic.
Founder of Plastic Free QAC Bente Cooney says, "Sadly, that has gone down. We did it again here in 2022 and we had 86% coming out with plastic bags and 4.4% with reusable bags."
Cooney says Queen Anne's County should follow in the footsteps of cities like Easton and Salisbury which have enacted bans. If commissioners approve the ban for the county, they'll push for a state-wide ban.
"So if it gets to introduce and there is some movement behind it, then we're gonna go and tell the general assembly that we really want to see a pass," says Cooney. She suggested a 10-cent charge to paper bags that commissioners should add if they pass the ordinance. Cooney says it would motivate people to use reusable bags.
The director of Plastic Free QAC added that legislation would be the only way for people to use reusable bags. "There is a lot of that behavior change that still needs to be implemented. The research shows that legislation is the way to help facilitate that behavior change, unfortunately," says Sara Shelley.
But some of those in the community like Osher Ziskind is not the biggest fan of a possible ban. He says, why take away the convenience we've always had?
"I just don't see him as a big problem. I mean if people are going to act irresponsible with them, they're gonna act irresponsible with a paper bag," says Osher.
