Barnstable Bag Ban Deadline Looming

CCB MEDIA PHOTO
Barnstable Town Hall.

HYANNIS – Come October 3, thin-film plastic bags will no longer be allowed for use by retailers in the Town of Barnstable.

Barnstable joins several other Cape town who have already banned such bags, and the goal is to keep Cape Cod beautiful.

“It primarily helps the environment, that’s the main goal is to prevent these bags from floating around out there in the oceans and on the streets,” Barnstable Regulatory Services Director Richard Scali said.

The bags in question have a thickness of 3 mils or less, and are being banned due to the fact they are produced from non-renewable sources, and are difficult to recycle.

Since March a committee in the town has been reaching out to businesses in the town to provide information and help retailers understand the ordinance.

However given the fact that Barnstable is such a large retail area, the town is allowing businesses to apply for an extension if they are unable to comply with the regulation by the deadline.

“There is an exemption form that does give businesses up to a year exemption if they’re not able to comply by October 3, they must apply before October 3 to do that though,” Scali said.

When the ban takes effect, businesses are encouraged to offer re-usable or paper bags, and consumers are also encouraged to bring their own bags when shopping.

By MIKE DEFINA, CapeCod.com NewsCenter