Hingham Town Meeting Article Looks to Ban Single-Use Checkout Bags

Could single-use checkout bags be outlawed in Hingham? They might be with the approval of Town Meeting next month.

If given the ok by voters, Article LL would end the use of single-use checkout bags by businesses in town according to a draft of the Town Meeting Warrant.

Beginning on April 1, 2016, retail establishments would not be able to provide single-use bags to customers. They would be able to provide a recyclable paper bag to a customer as long as the business charges at least ten cents per bag.

Businesses with less than 2,500 square feet of total retail space would have until April 1, 2017 to comply.

Laundry bags and newspaper bags would be exempt from the ban. Bags provided by restaurants to customers for take out and prepared foods would receive an exemption.

Non-checkout bags that contain bulk items such as produce, nuts, grains, candy, small hardware items, wrap meat, fish, frozen foods, wrap flowers, potted plants, items to prevent moisture damage to other purchases, unwrapped prepared foods or bakery goods are not covered by the proposed ban.

Penalties would run from $100 for the first offense to $300 for the third and subsequent offenses.

Hingham Town Meeting is scheduled for April 27 at Hingham High School.