Senate Bill 1018, Ban Certain Single-Use Bags is considered in the Senate State and Local Government Committee. The committee substitute bill changes the ban in the original bill from applying everywhere in every store in North Carolina to a pilot program on the coast “in our most environmental sensitve part of the state”. The plastic bag ban would apply only to parts of Dare, Currituck and Hyde Counties. Bill sponsor, Sen. Josh Stein (D-Wake) speaks of the necessity of government dictating how we’ll carry our grocercies and other goods and declares, “we can’t let the plastic bag become the state flower.”
Andy Ellen with Retail Merchants’ Association says this will increase the cost of goods in the affected areas because the change of bags costs 30 percent more, and retrofit costs are estimated at $3,000 – $5,000 per store – costs passed along to customers.
NC Forestry opposes this ridiculous bill because NC GA shouldn’t be deciding how merchants package their goods, restrict natural resources and increase costs of doing business.
Bill sponsor Stein, in response argues that bio-degradables are better for environment. “Where we should be going as a state is move towards recyclable.” What about consumers and business owners getting to choose rather than the government deciding where we’ll move?!?
Of note and somewhat ironically in this coastal community, there is an exception for fresh fish, which if not pre-packaged and sold only to an individual customer, can be carried home in a plastic bag.
Nevertheless, with little committee debate the bill passes by a voice vote and will now go to the full Senate for a vote.
