Auburn to vote on restricting plastic bag use

AUBURN - Special town meeting voters will decide Tuesday whether to reduce single-use plastic carryout bag usage by placing several prohibitions on retail businesses.

The special town meeting begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Auburn High School auditorium.

The Board of Selectmen has been looking at the plastic bag issue for about two years, according to Town Manager Julie A. Jacobson.

In May, a nonbinding question on the ballot asking whether the town should research and develop a bylaw to restrict the use of plastic bags by stores, specifically “thin-film single-use plastic bags,” easily passed 620-381.

The bylaw before town meeting contains several exceptions. Stores could still use plastic bags for prescription medications; produce, meats, poultry, fish, bread, and other food items to keep such items fresh or unsoiled; to prevent frozen food items (including ice cream) from thawing; to contain products or items that are saturated, wet, prone to leak, or need to be immersed in a liquid; to contain products or items that are granular, powdery, dirty or greasy; to protect an item from damage or contamination, or to protect a second item when both are carried together from the store; to protect articles of clothing on a hanger; for items that contain any herbicide, pesticide, solvent, corrosive, automotive-type fluid or other chemical that can be harmful to public health, whether or not the item is prepackaged in a sealed container or bag; protecting small items from loss; and for any item that requires the use of a certain type of bag under federal and state laws and regulations.

A store may charge a fee for a recycled paper bag, reusable carryout bag, or other type of carryout bag.

A customer can bring a clean personal bag, made of any material, to the store to carry out items purchased or serviced there.

If the measure passes, stores could still sell any package containing several bags (including food bags, sandwich bags, yard waste bags, garbage bags, or municipal pay-as-you-throw program trash bags); any product with a protective bag (or a bag to hold related accessories, parts and instruction manuals, or a bag used as product packaging), and any sports bags, handbags, equipment bags, tent bags, or other bags specifically designed to protect or contain a particular item.

In addition, a nonprofit organization, charity or religious institution would be exempt when providing or distributing prepared foods, groceries or articles of clothing directly to those in need.

If passed, the bylaw would take effect six months after the town meeting.