Plastic Bag Ordinance Passes In Darien

DARIEN, CT — After months of meetings, hearings and hard work by town officials and vocal residents, an ordinance banning the use of single-use plastic shopping bags in town passed at the RTM meeting Monday. The final vote indicated 86 members were in favor of the ban, while two were opposed and two abstained from voting.

The ordinance will go into effect Jan. 1, 2020, however stores under 10,000 square feet will still be able to offer the bags until January 2021.

"The purpose of the ordinance is to encourage residents to bring their own bags when they go shopping, to end the use of single-use plastic bags and to switch to paper bags that are 100 percent recyclable and made from at least 40 percent post-consumer recyclable material," Public Works Chairman Monica McNally said at the meeting.

Also under the ordinance, stores over 10,000 square feet will charge 10 cents for compliant paper bags, while stores under 10,000 square feet are exempt from ever having to charge 10 cents for compliant paper bags.

"I'm happy for the town," McNally said. "I think instead of being something that could have been seen as divisive or anti-business, businesses are moving to a more green state in general, and consumers are too. This is meeting in the middle, and I think it's a win for everybody."

The initial proposal was brought before the Board of Selectmen in October 2018 by BYO Darien, a volunteer group of Darien residents, who met with various RTM committees. The RTM Rules Committee subsequently designated the Public Works, Public Health & Safety and Town Government Structure & Administration Committees to consider the proposal, each of which collected information from various sources.

See also: Darien Holds Public Hearing On Proposed Plastic Bag Ban

• Plastic Bag Ban Considered In Darien, Public Hearing Set

RTM members interviewed businesses about the ordinance in person, and feedback from other towns that have already implemented similar bans was collected. Additionally, approximately 150 emails were sent to the RTM regarding the ordinance.

Public hearings were held Feb. 6 and March 27. McNally told Patch in February she estimated between 110 and 130 people, 28 of which spoke for a few minutes each, were in attendance at that month's hearing.

A draft of the ordinance was presented at the second hearing, feedback from which helped shape the final version.

Nearby communities such as Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk and Westport have already passed similar ordinances.