Resources
Report Business Non-Compliance after April 22, 2022
Contact Form
Click here to access a form to report a business that has not complied with the ban after the effective date.
- What are the key reasons behind the Township’s ban on single-use plastic bags and straws?
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- To reduce litter. If not disposed of properly, these bags and straws litter our streets, waterways, commercial corridors, and adversely affect marine life and birds.
- To save money and keep staff safe. Plastic bags are not recyclable curbside yet are often placed in recycling bins. Once at the recycling facility, the bags get caught in the equipment. This is dangerous for recycling center staff and costs the Township money. Each year, plastic bags account for hours of lost staff time at our recycling facility.
- To make the Township cleaner, reduce waste, and save taxpayer dollars. No bag option is without impact, so reducing waste means cutting down on the use of paper bags as well. We urge all retailers to encourage their customers to shop with reusable bags.
- When does the ban go into effect?
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All business establishments must be compliant by April 22, 2022.
- Which businesses does this affect?
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The ban will affect all retail establishments in West Goshen Township that make bags available for carryout and/or delivery items such as food, clothing, home goods, etc. These businesses include indoor and outdoor establishments that offer food or other products to the public for sale and that generate a sales tax or use tax. Among them are:
Supermarkets
Convenience stores
Retail shops
Service stations
Department stores
Clothing stores
Restaurants
Food trucks
Farmers’ markets
Delivery services
- What is actually banned?
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- All single-use plastic bags. This includes all bags regardless of their thickness. These bags are primarily created through a “blown film extrusion” process, which is how almost all plastic bags using plastic film are created.
- Bags made from PLA (polylactic acid).
- Any paper bag that does not contain at least 40% recycled content and does not meet the labeling criteria set forth in the legislation.
- What kind of bags can businesses provide?
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Businesses can still provide reusable bags and compliant paper bags that meet certain criteria. For a list of vendors that provide compliant bags, click here
- Reusable bags are permitted if they are:
- Made of nylon, cotton, cloth, polyester, or another material that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple uses.
- Compliant paper bags are permitted if they:
- Contain a minimum of 40% postconsumer recycled material and display the words “recyclable” and/or “reusable” in a highly visible manner on the outside of the bag.
- Can be composted.
- Reusable bags are permitted if they are:
- Does the 40 % recycled content rule apply to all paper bags?
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Yes, the rule applies to all paper bags of all sizes.
- Are there any exemptions?
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Yes, the following items are exempt:
- Dry cleaner bags
- Food storage bags
- Pet waste bags
- Newspaper bags
- Product bags
- Garbage bags
- Compliant bags
- Straws are exempt when packaged with beverages prepared outside the Township with no alterations, and when provided as an assistance device to accommodate a disability.
- What are the signage requirements?
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Beginning January 3, 2022, and for six months after, retail establishments may post signage informing customers that the establishment will no longer provide single-use plastic bags and non-recycled content paper bags starting April 22, 2021. The signage must explain what types of bags and purchases are affected and provide any other information the Township may require by regulation. Click here to download a sign to print and post.