Asbury Park Considers Ordinance To Ban Plastic Bags At Stores

The Asbury Park City Council is considering an ordinance to ban plastic bags at local stores.

Here's what it means since the council has scheduled a vote on the plan during its May 22 meeeting, and why the city is doing it:

• The city is aware that the widespread use of single-use plastic carryout bags creates significant litter problems within Asbury Park.
• The broad use of single-use plastic carryout bags and their disposal creates "an impediment to the achievement of the environmental goals of the city to maintain a clean community that is not hazardous to humans and wildlife."
• The production and disposal of single-use plastic carryout bags "causes significant environmental impacts, including unhealthy and unsightly litter, the depletion of natural resources, the unnecessary use of non-renewable and polluting fossil fuels and increased solid waste disposal costs."
• Effective January 1, 2020, no operator of any covered store or street vendor within the city shall provide any single-use plastic carryout bag to any customer for the purpose of enabling a customer to transport food items, goods or other products
• Effective January 1, 2020, an operator of a covered store or a street vendor may provide a customer with a single-use paper carryout bag or reusable carryout bag, provided that the operator or street vendor shall impose and collect a minimum fee of 10 cents for each single-use paper carryout bag or reusable carryout bag provided to the customer.