Salisbury Could Drop 10 Cent Paper Bag Fee at Restaurants

SALISBURY, Md. - Changes could be on the way for the City of Salisbury's new plastic bag ban, more than a month since it began.

Plastic bags have become a rarity in the streets of Salisbury, largely attributed to the plastic bag ban that came into effect on July 1st. As part of this ban, businesses were mandated to impose a 10 cent fee on single-use paper bags, a measure intended to promote the adoption of reusable bags by the community.

WBOC spoke to a number of people who live and shop in Salisbury who had mixed feelings.

"I can't afford a 10 cent fee, ten cent per bag," said one shopper.

"It is wrong for them to charge us 10 cents for bags," said another.

Salisbury Mayor Jack Heath acknowledges the unintended consequences that have arisen from the 10 cent fee at restaurants.

Mayor Heath stated, "The one thing you don't want to do is you don't want to put a burden on somebody who's trying to be environmentally sound to begin with, and that's what you have in a couple situations."

To address these concerns, Mayor Heath and the Council discussed the bag ban at a recent council meeting.

Mayor Heath says the council is exploring the possibility of differentiating between paper bags used for packaging and those used for transportation purposes. Under this distinction, bags utilized for packaging necessities, such as those required in drive-thru lines, would be exempt from the 10 cent fee. However, bags used for transporting groceries or other items would still incur the additional charge.

"Sometimes you don't get it right the first time so accommodations for certain things I think you need to talk about when it's appropriate." Mayor Heath said.

The issue is anticipated to be a topic of discussion during the city council's upcoming work session scheduled for August 21st. It's unclear when a possible alteration to the bag ban could go into effect.