Councilmembers of one South Carolina county are seeking to update a 2018 ordinance to prevent businesses from taking advantage of a loophole regarding plastic bags.
According to the Island Packet, Beaufort County is conducting surveys to evaluate the preferences of residents and business owners after efforts to amend guidelines for single-use plastic items failed in May.
The questionnaires ask participants about their habits with plastic bags, utensils, and straws, as well as Styrofoam containers and cups. They also gauge the support for a complete ban on these non-biodegradable items.
Beaufort County Council initially rejected the proposal to outlaw all plastic bags, plastic utensils, and polystyrene products, as several community members expressed concern about how the suggested changes would affect local businesses and residents.
Following the 7-4 vote to dismiss the suggested revisions, the issue was redirected to a subcommittee that determined more data was needed before revisiting the topic.
"This was a bit of a drop back to figure out, 'what are the perceptions, what are the attitudes around plastic and what are the needs to tighten it up if necessary,'" Courtney Kimmel, the director of conservation at The Port Royal Sound Foundation, told the Island Packet.
The current language in the ordinance allows businesses to offer reusable bags made of cloth, washable fabric, recycled paper, or recyclable plastic with a minimum thickness of 2.25 mils.
While the bylaw was meant to protect the environment by encouraging shoppers to bring their own reusable bags, companies such as Target and Walmart have circumvented this intention by selling thicker plastic bags that are still compliant.
Grant McClure, a project manager with the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, told the Island Packet that he's found these bags littered in nearby marshes despite having branding that touts their washability and reusability.
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Should Beaufort County eventually succeed in revising the ordinance, it will join the likes of California and New Zealand in establishing tighter regulations on all types of plastic bags. Additionally, small business owners and customers in Hong Kong have saved money after the government implemented its ban on plastic products in phases to ease concerns and allow time for adjustments.
The county will tally the results from the survey in March before hosting education sessions and meetings with the public, per Council Chair Alice Howard.
"We're going to need a lot of meetings to get the right kind of feedback before any local body will vote on it," Howard continued.
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