2015.04.27 Council Agenda Item 09
Summary
Report from the Ordinance Committee regarding disposable shopping bags.
A public comment period will not be included with this item.
ACTION: Council action is not anticipated.
Description
In 2014, Falmouth residents wrote the Town Council inquiring about disposable shopping bags, in observance of regulation passed in Portland. As of April 15th of this year, the City of Portland is charging customers $0.05 for both paper and plastic shopping bags. The Falmouth Town Council asked the Falmouth Recycling and Energy Committee (REAC) to address the issue. REAC conducted research, prepared a report, and gave a recommendation on potential regulation of disposable shopping bags to the Council. The Council asked the Ordinance Committee to work with REAC and consider the options for instituting an ordinance in Falmouth to restrict or discourage the use of disposable, single-use thin-film plastic shopping bags. The Ordinance Committee has met twice and has most recently recommended watching the implementation of the Portland ordinance and continuing the REAC community education program on Falmouth’s use of single-use and reusable shopping bags.
The Ordinance Committee feels that this is a good time to present this update and solicit comments and recommendations from the Council on next steps.
