Pleasantville's Carryout Bag Ordinance
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Reusable Bag Initiative
THE PROBLEM
Single-use carryout shopping bags. These bags are used for only a few minutes, but their impact is huge.
Plastic shopping bags do not biodegrade. Instead, they break down into small pieces that contaminate soils and waterways and even enter our food chain. They can have a devastating effect on wildlife, and litter the land and waterways. Only 5 to 7 percent are recycled.
Paper shopping bags present problems of their own. Producing and transporting them requires large amounts of water, energy, fuel, and chemicals. They can be recycled but often aren’t.
THE SOLUTION
Reusable bags! (Or no bags at all.)
Imposing fees on carryout bags has been proven to be effective in reducing the proliferation of paper and plastic bags.
WHAT STORES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS LAW?
All stores except restaurants, delis, and others that receive 90% or more of their revenue from the retail sale of prepared food.
WHAT BAGS ARE AFFECTED BY THIS LAW?
Plastic and paper carryout shopping bags, with the following exceptions.
These bags will still be available for no extra cost:
- Bags without handles used for meat, fish, produce, and other unpackaged food
- Bags provided by a pharmacy for prescription drugs
- Dry cleaning bags
- Bags intended to keep wet items from damaging dry items
- Thick plastic bags—at least 2.25 mils thick
- Large plastic bags—28" by 36" or larger.
WHO IS EXEMPT?
The ordinance does not apply to bags used in the home or to the sales of goods at tag sales.
Have a hard time remembering to bring them with you?
10 Things You Can Do To Remember Your Reusable Bags!
1. Try keeping a bag tucked in your handbag or car door so you’re always prepared
2. Take advantage of reusable bags that are ultra compact and small - some even attach to a keychain
3. Put bags where you can see them, for example near the front door
4. Put a note on your dashboard
5. Use a handy steering wheel reminder (http://www.bagnesia.com)
6. Write on top of your shopping list “Don’t forget reusable bags”
7. As soon as you empty the reusable bags, put them back in the car or a place where you will not forget to take them
8. Try using an acronym checklist before you leave the house, for example: KWB - Keys, Wallet, Bags
9. Give your kids the task to remind you of your reusable bags
10. Don’t bag at all: bring the shopping cart to your car and transfer the groceries into a cardboard box and take the box inside the house.
These days there are many choices of reusable bags available. If you can't find one you like in your neighborhood store, they are only a short Internet search away—you will find a wide variety of bags that will fit your lifestyle.