Gig Harbor Weighs Plastic Waste Ordinance

GIG HARBOR, WA — At its scheduled meeting next week the Gig Harbor City Council will weigh the merits of an ordinance designed to reduce the use of plastic bags within the city. While the ordinance is not presented as an outright ban on plastic bags and other plastic-based service items, it is aimed at seeing a significant reduction in the amount of plastic waste produced within Gig Harbor, city councilwoman Jeni Woock explained.

Woock is spearheading the plastic waste initiative in Gig Harbor, which she said was part of her agenda when campaigning for a council position in 2017. And while she acknowledges the small value one community's efforts toward reducing plastic waste may be, she said Gig Harbor's ordinance would essentially catch the city up to several similar ordinances already enacted in other nearby towns.

"One city alone won't do much, but working together we can make a difference," Woock told Patch on Wednesday. Referring to residents around Baby Boomer age, she said, "It's not fair to leave our mess to generations currently in college or high school."

The plastic waste initiative being considered is actually two different ordinances with ultimately the same goal in mind.

The first reading taking place Nov. 13 will be for the ordinance concerning plastic carryout bags typically obtained from grocery stores. According to Woock, while gathering information to bolster the ordinance, she learned just four retailers in Gig Harbor are responsible for bringing nearly 10 million plastic bags into the city.

Home Depot, Albertsons, Fred Meyer, and Safeway alone annually order 9.9 million plastic bags, which often end up as litter alongside roads and in waterways, Woock said. And with the Gig Harbor landfill expected to reach its capacity in the next 12 to 14 years, she said now is the time to make a change and reduce the waste produced by the city.

"To make our community cleaner, it's the right thing to do," Woock said.

Around 24 cities in the Puget Sound area have already enacted similar ordinances; Port Orchard and Bremerton are also currently considering ordinances as well, she said. Should the first ordinance pass upon its second reading at the Nov. 26 meeting, it would take effect six months later.

While the ordinance specifically addresses the dissemination of two-handled plastic bags typically supplied by grocery stores, it would not apply to plastic carryout bags given by restaurants or those used to carry fresh produce.

Ordinance violations will be dealt with based on a tiered consequential structure. Violations within the first year of the ordinance's implementation will be dealt with in the form of a written warning. Second-year violators will see an in-person warning. It won't be until the third year that violators will begin facing tougher penalties, such as a fine up to $250 for each subsequent violation. This is because the ordinance isn't meant to be a new source of revenue for the city, Woock said. It's about education.

Most cities start out with stronger enforcement, she admitted; but after seeing Tacoma only receive 22 complaints in its first year after enacting a similar ordinance, and knowing Tacoma to be a much larger city, Woock expects violations in Gig Harbor to be seldom and few. Most residents in the area, she said, are willing to make the change and comply with the new rules.

A second ordinance concerning single-use plastics, such as straws, eating utensils, and plastic tableware, will be considered at a later date. Should it also pass, Woock said the second ordinance wouldn't take effect for 12 months.

The Gig Harbor council meeting will take place Nov. 13 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at 3510 Grandview St. For more information, visit CityOfGigHarbor.net.

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