Madison Preps To Push Out Single-Use Plastic Bags

MADISON, NJ - Madison and the Chathams introduced ordinances this week that would ban sing-use plastic bags from retail stores in town with the eye of adopting it next month an enacting it in March of 2020.

According to officials, under the Northern Jersey Sustainable Municipal Alliance, the Environmental Commissions of Chatham, Madison and Chatham Township and the umbrella group developed the model ordinance prohibiting single-use plastic bags in each town. The goal was to have all three communities coordinate.

Madison and Chatham Borough are including a 10 cent fee for paper bags, with the money going back to the retailer.

The ordinances call for an escalating series of penalties for violators after a written warning:

• $100 fine for a first violation
• $200 for a second violation
• $500 for a third violation
• $500 fine for each additional violation

You can see the complete ordinance on the website. And view the introduction and discussion in thevideo on the website.

The public hearing and a vote on the ordinance is scheduled for Oct. 16 in the Hartley Dodge Memorial municipal building at 50 Kings Road.

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