Ban on single

Newtown is considering an effort to curb plastic waste.

The township's Environmental Advisory Council has drafted an ordinance to ban single-use plastic bags, joining Doylestown and Solebury as Bucks County municipalities that have either passed or are considering ordinances banning single-use plastics.

Environmental Advisory Council Co-Chair Elaine McCarron briefed Newtown Township's Board of Supervisors during its April meeting on the council's support of the ordinance and outlined the next steps, which are to build a website and to continue educating businesses on the merits of the ordinance.

Currently, residents are encouraged to fill out an online Q&A form to submit questions to the council related to the proposed ordinance banning single-use plastics.

The proposed ordinance notes that using and discarding single-use plastic bags, expanded polystyrene food service products, single-use plastic straws and single-use plastic utensils contributes to environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, litter and harm to wildlife.

The ordinance is meant to deter businesses and customers from using the plastics and pushes for a shift to reusable bags and recyclable paper straws and cups.

Newtown's voluntary plastic reduction:Newtown Township latest municipality to eye reduction in single-use plastics

Faran Savitz, a zero-waste advocate for nonprofit PennEnvironment, said the biggest problem is the growing use of these products over time.

"A lot of this stuff is meant to be used once and tossed aside," Savitz said, adding that people should also take note of the plastic bags that hold candies, fruits, vegetables and household products that are enshrouded in plastic when purchased. "When you're done with it, you have to throw it away. The problem is, there is no 'away,' especially with plastic.

"Plastics go to the landfill and then go to the incinerator, and this is causing problems for our wildlife and our health," Savitz added. "It also causes problems for our infrastructure and our bottom line."

The recommendation for a full ban in Newtown comes about a year after the supervisors passed a resolution to voluntarily reduce the distribution of single-use plastics.

And in December, Doylestown Borough Council passed an ordinance to eliminate the use of single-use plastic bags at shops and restaurants for carrying goods from checkout.

Doylestown's ordinance applies to all restaurants and retail establishments of all sizes, and takes effect on June 22. Through August, retail establishments must post signs informing customers about the new requirements.

Doylestown opposed plastic regulation:Doylestown council ask Gov. Wolf, lawmakers lift plastic preemption clause in budget bills

In June 2022, Solebury also passed an ordinance prohibiting businesses from using single-use carryout bags, containers and straws, giving notice that it would be effective in 90 days.

While municipalities in Bucks County are enacting their own bans on single-use plastics, an outright Pennsylvania ban may still be far off.

Nearby, Philadelphia enacted a ban on single-use plastic bags in 2021, and fully enacted its law in April 2022.

And New Jersey has also enacted its own ban on single-use plastics, barring retail stores, grocery stores and food service businesses from providing or selling single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam food service products.

"Plastics don't just go away in our environment. If you cut an apple or a piece of paper, it will age and die and turn into natural components," Savitz said. "Plastic just breaks into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic called microplastics. These microplastics are everywhere. It's in our air, so we breathe it; it's in our water so we drink it, and it's on our food so we eat it.