EASTON, Md. - Voting, at the next town council meeting, will include the possible ban of single-use plastic bags.
The town of Easton is close to banning single-use plastic bags. If passed, this would apply to places like grocery stores, convenience stores, service stations, and others.
This would not apply to things like fresh fish, meat, and poultry. As well as, unpackaged fruits, nuts, fresh cheese, baked goods, or prescription drugs from a pharmacy. And newspapers and dry-cleaned goods, would be excluded.
"About four or five months going through this thing. The idea is to find the correct thing to do and the right thing to do," says Easton Council member Ron Engle.
If the ban is passed, grocery stores would be warned for a first time violation. Then, they would fined $25 to $50 dollars for second and multiple violations; after a grace period.
"We haven't quite figured out a grace period. I think we were leaning towards six months. That's the last I heard, to make that transition. It's not like we are going to pass a law and do something. We are going to be pretty active in getting public information out, so everybody will know about it," says Engle.
Mary Gleason said she had switched to reusable bags since she heard about a potential ban. "I have always used plastic for years. Then when things started getting out of hand, I went to the reusable. That's what I have been using ever since. Every place I go, I take them with me in my car. There is no need for plastic," says Gleason.
There were some in the town who did not agree with the ban at all. However, Engle says he has heard an overall positive opinion on this ordinance.