Revolutionary Move: Bid Farewell to Plastic Bags in Lancaster County!

Publish date: 2024-05-07
No More Using Plastic Bags in This Lancaster County Township

In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a significant change is on the horizon as a township takes the lead in addressing environmental concerns.

Commencing from January 1st, a new regulation in Lancaster Township will mark a pivotal step towards reducing plastic waste by prohibiting the utilization of single-use plastic bags by customers at retailers. This decision emerged from a recent Board of Commissioners meeting held on Monday.

Under this rule, retailers within the township will have the option to offer shoppers either paper bags or reusable bags. Notably, if a customer opts to purchase one of these bags, the expense will be itemized on their receipt.

To ensure a smooth transition, retailers are mandated to display informative signs for a period of thirty days preceding the plastic bag ban and also for the subsequent six months. These signs will serve to inform customers that single-use plastic bags will no longer be provided as part of their shopping experience.

However, there exists a provision that permits certain retailers to be exempt from this plastic bag ban. Upon application, a retailer can be granted an exemption for up to one year after the ban takes effect.

The approval of this exemption hinges on the retailer demonstrating to the Township Manager that adhering to the ban would result in “undue hardship.” Essentially, this means that the retailer must establish the absence of any viable alternative to single-use plastic bags within their operations.

Statistics reveal a staggering consumption of more than 4 billion single-use plastic bags annually by Pennsylvanians, as reported by PennEnvironment. This statistic underscores the urgency of this initiative and the importance of transitioning towards more sustainable alternatives.

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