Newport's Plastic Bag Ban Could Be Drafted by January

NEWPORT, RI—Plastic bans could be banned in Newport as soon as January and could be outlawed every where else on Aquidneck Island by Earth Day 2017, according to Dave McLaughlin, executive director of Clean Ocean Access.

McLaughlin and Jamie Rhodes, the program director of Upstream Policy Institute, spoke Monday night at the Newport Public Library during a forum called Creating a More Sustainable Newport: Bring Your Bag.

About 20 people attended. Most in the audience were members of the city Planning Board, city councilors, members of the city's Energy and Environment Commission, candidates for state office and reporters.

The speakers said plastic bags and other plastic products are polluting the ocean.

By 2050, Rhodes said, the oceans will contain—pound for pound—as much plastic as fish.

"It's concerning," especially since plastic is not biodegradable, he said. "Long after the United States is gone, long after our children are gone, the plastic will still be there."

As Rhode Island's premier coastal community, Newport must take the lead in eliminating single use bags and other plastics, McLaughlin said.

Barrington already has a plastic ban bag but is so far the only Rhode Island community to adopt one.

Kristie Gardiner, chairwoman of the EEC, said Rhode Island Resource Recovery has taken a neutral position on plastic bag bans. In Sept. 23 letter, Krystal Noiseux, the education and outreach manager, said the reason is they can be recycled and also have secondary uses, such as pet pooper scoopers.

Last May, however, the Newport City Council asked the city's energy and environment commission and the Newport Planning Board to work together to draft an ordinance.

Gardiner said the goal is to have the ordinance ready for the council by January.

Kim Salerno, chairwoman of the Planning Board, said the planners will present a second forum on the paper bag ban in November. The forum will include public comment. Salerno also hopes to hear comments from the businesses.

McLaughlin said all the plastic ban ordinances, especially on Aquidneck Island, should be consistent. Middletown is considering one now, and Portsmouth expressed interest but stopped short of taking any formal action.

All the ordinances should address sustainability, enforcement and persuasion, including education outreach. However, he said, people are already aware the plastic bag ban is coming.

On enforcement, either police or a city agency could deal with violators. The first offense would involve a warning, but second and third offenses should carry fines, such as $150 for the second and $300 for a third offense.

Some exclusions and exemptions may apply. He would favor subjecting all retail establishments to the ban, which would cover any bags, if a portion is made out of plastic. But double opening plastic bags, such as garment bags, and barrier bags for produce and meat would be exempt, for example.

Rhodes said a total ban was one option. Other options would require customers to pay for paper bags at the store, if they did not bring a reusable bag.

Rhodes said low-income people might be exempt from paying for bags at the counter. Pharmacies might also be exempt if they give away a plastic bag to a person, who did not bring a reusable bag, but will be carrying prescription drugs. The exception is based on the privacy laws.

Given the fact opposition has come in the past from the retailers, he suggested one type of ordinance might allow the retailers to keep any fees charged for bags, if customers fail to bring a reusable one to the store.