Park Ridge city leaders are considering either outright banning single use plastic bags or charging for them at major grocers.
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At the City Council Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, aldermen discussed ideas for potential restrictions. While the matter was not up for a vote, the council seemed eager to restrict the use of plastic bags at large grocery stores while leaving small, locally-owned businesses unaffected.
“I would be interested in pursuing something like an all-out ban on plastic [bags] and leave paper [bags] as it is. And, target only the 5,000 square-foot stores so the small stores, they wouldn’t even be touched by this,” said Alderperson Joseph Steinfels.
Based on the discussion, the council seemed open to ban the bags outright or tax them. But in both instances, the action would only apply to grocery stores over 5,000 square feet. Paper bags wouldn’t be affected. In addition, there would likely be carve-outs for prescription drug bags and for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – known as food stamps – users, similar to Chicago regulations.
In Chicago, retailers charge customers a dime per plastic bag and most of that money goes to the city. Other communities, notably Evanston, have plastic bag bans outright.
Park Ridge Community Preservation and Development Director Drew Awsumb started the discussion on the top, telling the council he wanted some direction on the matter. He said town leaders could either do nothing, start a pilot program or simply begin a ban or a use tax.
John Scopelliti, a city planner, presented the options to the COTW, though he told council members he had not yet spoken to local business owners about their preference because he wanted to see first what aldermen might want to pursue.
Awsumb said the Chamber of Commerce has shown an interest in helping gauge business input.
“We talked to the chamber and they are interested in being part of that,” he said.
Michelle LaGrotta, a member of the Sustainability Commission, said that group recommends an outright ban on plastic bags, since studies show that is the best way to reduce use.
“An all-out ban on single use plastic bags is what’s most effective at reducing the use of those bags,” she said.
She pointed out that in communities that single out single-use bags have had stores move to thicker bags, arguing that those bags could be reused. But, they’re not. She also suggested a tax on paper bags. Taken together, those moves would strongly urge residents to use reusable bags.
“Moving toward reusable bags is preferred,” she said.
For now, city officials will begin talking with larger local retailers, though some alderpersons said they doubted grocers Jewel and Mariano’s would care what the city decides. They both operate in areas with bans and one with taxes.
“Mariano’s and Jewel aren’t affected by this,” said Alderperson Kelly Lawrence. “They’re in other communities that have this.”
Awsumb said he’d talk to retailers and see what a ban would look like and report back to the City Council.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.