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1. What are the key reasons behind the Township’s ban on single-use plastic bags and straws?

• 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.

2. When does the ban go into effect?

All business establishments must be compliant by April 22, 2022.

3. Which businesses does this affect?

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

4. What is actually banned?

• 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.

5. What kind of bags can businesses provide?

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

1. 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.
2. 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.

List of Vendors of Compliant Bags and Straws

6. Does the 40 % recycled content rule apply to all paper bags?

Yes, the rule applies to all paper bags of all sizes.

7. Are there any exemptions?

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.

8. What are the signage requirements?

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.

Customer Notification Poster

9. Do I have to get rid of my existing stock of plastic bags?

You must use all existing single-use plastic bags and non-compliant paper bag stock by April 22, 2022. Chain stores with outlets outside of the Township can ship their bag inventory to those outlets. Retailers may also consider donating their remaining stock to nonprofit reuse centers or businesses that reside in boroughs, cities or townships that do not have a plastic bag ordinance.

10. Can businesses charge customers for bags?

Yes, businesses can decide whether to provide bags for free or for a cost. We urge businesses to encourage their customers to bring their own reusable bags when they shop.

11. What are the fines for non-compliance?

• January 3 to April 22, 2022: West Goshen Township will issue warnings to businesses using non-compliant bags.
• Any commercial establishment that violates this ban after April 22, 2022, will be issued an initial written warning, and a violation notice after that. For non-compliance following the initial warning and violation notice, fines of $100, $200, or $500 will be levied for the first, second, and subsequent violations, respectively.

12. What is the financial cost of this ban to taxpayers?

Plastic bags cost retailers money, and that cost is passed on to consumers. Their elimination is better for the environment and for your wallet.

13. Would a fee or tax on single-use bags have the same effect as a ban?

Studies show that charging a fee does reduce use of single-use bags by about half, but a ban is more effective at reducing overall single-use plastic consumption.

14. Why don’t retailers and businesses convert to biodegradable plastic bags?

They are up to 20% to 100% more expensive than petrochemical plastics, and although they are marketed as more eco-friendly solutions able to break down into harmless material more quickly than traditional plastics, in reality they do not. 

In a recent study published in Environmental Science and Technology, researchers put supposedly eco-friendly bags made from various organic and plastic materials and sourced from U.K. stores to the test. After being buried for three years in garden soil, submerged in ocean water, exposed to open light and air, or stashed in a laboratory, none of the bags broke down completely in all environments. In fact, the biodegradable bags that had been left underwater in a marina could still hold a full load of groceries. Read more here.

15. Milk, produce, meat, and cold products need plastic bags to protect them from sweating. Will I still be able to get plastic bags for these items?

No.

16. I take my single-use plastic bags back to the grocery store to discard in established recycle bins. Is this considered a proper disposal method?

No. The reality is that approximately 3-10 % of bags placed in recycle bins are actually recycled.  The reason is that it is far cheaper to create a new single-use plastic bag than to recycle it. The ready supply of fracking gas used to manufacture plastic bags makes virgin plastic cheaper and more readily available than recycled plastic bags.