Green Jersey

Red Bank bag ban introduced

If a new ordinance goes through, those bags had better be canvas.

Yesterday, Red Bank’s borough council finally introduced an ordinance that would phase out run-of-the-mill plastic shopping bags, which are so last year.

The ordinance has some teeth — if it passes, stores in town won’t be allowed to offer any non-recyclable, non-compostable checkout bags starting in January 2009. A store that does faces a $100 fine for its first violation, and fines of $200 and $500 thereafter. Any fines collected are pledged to support borough-sponsored environmental initiatives.

Recyclable, compostable and reusable bags all would be acceptable, and must be well-marked, the ordinance says.

A question was raised at the meeting, however, on the use of the word “non-recyclable…” From Red Bank Green:

Councilwoman Grace Cangemi said the law as worded might not have its intended effect of ending the distribution of lightweight supermarket bags. The ordinance, she said, bans non-recyclable bags, but grocery bags are recyclable. She also raised questions about a provision requiring compostable bags; neither the borough nor the county landfill, she says, has the industrial capacity needed to compost the bags.

Councilman Mike DuPont, who sponsored the ordinance, disagreed that the county doesn’t have the ability to compost the bags, and urged an end to what he called “objections and obstructionism.”

Debate on Red Bank’s plastic bag ordinance had been going on for months. A public hearing on this version is scheduled for Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

More: Plastic bag ban is introduced by Red Bank council (Asbury Park Press)