Philadelphia to begin enforcing ban on single-use plastic bags

Companies will now face fines for utilizing single-use plastic luggage for purchases.

The minimal penalty is $150 for every violation.

Companies can supply or promote reusable luggage, thick plastic luggage designed for a number of reuses and paper luggage with no less than 40 % recycled content material.

Philly’s plastic bag ban was handed in December 2019 however was delayed as a result of pandemic.

It took impact on October 1, 2021.

The transfer is all a part of the town’s effort to cut back plastic air pollution and litter.

Buyers are urged to deliver their very own reusable luggage.

Right here is extra info from the town:

What enterprise institutions are affected?
The ban will have an effect on all industrial institutions of all sizes in Philadelphia that make luggage obtainable for carryout objects (similar to meals, clothes, dwelling items, and so forth.) and/or for supply. These companies embrace institutions, indoor or outside, the place meals or different merchandise are supplied to the general public for sale-including however not restricted to: supermarkets, comfort shops, retailers, service stations, shops, outfitters, eating places, meals vehicles, farmers’ markets, and supply providers.

What luggage are banned?
The laws prohibits retail institutions from offering for checkout or supply:

• All single-use plastic luggage. This consists of luggage created via a “blown movie extrusion” course of. The blown movie extrusion course of is the first means that every one plastic luggage that use plastic movie are created, whatever the thickness of the plastic. Due to this fact, this laws bans all luggage we generally seek advice from as single use plastic luggage, irrespective of their thickness.

• Baggage produced from PLA (polylactic acid) created via a blown movie extrusion course of.

• Any paper bag that doesn’t include no less than 40 % recycled content material and doesn’t meet the labeling standards set within the laws.

What plastic luggage are exempt from the ban?
The next luggage are exempt:

• Baggage bought in packages containing a number of luggage meant to be used as rubbish luggage or to include pet waste or yard waste.

• Baggage used inside a retail institution by a buyer to ship perishable objects to the purpose of sale (together with luggage used to package deal bulk objects, meats or fish, unwrapped ready meals, bakery items, flowers, potted vegetation, or comparable objects).

• Baggage supplied by pharmacists to include pharmaceuticals.

ONLINE: https://www.phila.gov/packages/plastic-bag-ban/