Providence City Council Approves Citywide Plastic Bag Ban

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Providence City council approved a citywide plastic bag ban during Monday evening's council meeting. Fittingly, the measure was approved on Earth Day. If signed by Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, the ordinance will go into effect six months later.

The ordinance comes as the Rhode Island Senate is considering a statewide plastic bag ban. The bill, introduced in January, would ban most single-use plastic bags in Rhode Island, as well as polystyrene takeout containers.

"Single-use plastic bags are not just destroying the environment, but they also cost the cities across the great state of Rhode Island millions annually in recycling contamination fees, and other financial burdens," the ordinance's sponsor, Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan, said in a statement in support of the statewide bill. "The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation sees nearly 60 tons of plastic bags in their facility every year...Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but it’s important."

According to BagLaws.com, 12 cities and towns across the state have already passed individual plastic bag ordinances. They are:

• Barrington
• Bristol
• Jamestown
• Middletown
• Narragansett
• New Shoreham
• Newport
• North Kingston
• Portsmouth
• South Kingstown
• Tiverton
• Warren

According to WPRI, the Providence City Council approved a similar ordinance in 2018, Elorza vetoed it, saying he was concerned that the cost of reusable bags would be too heavy of a burden for lower-income residents. A spokesperson for Elorza said Monday that the mayor is in support of the new version of the ordinance and will sign it, WPRI reported.

READ MORE:

• Senate Committee Discusses Plastic Bag, Straw Bans
• South Kingstown Cutting Back on Plastic Bag Use
  
• Barrington Town Council Expands Plastic Ban
  
• Considering a Plastic Bag Ban in Cranston (Opinion)