Baltimore County Council passes plastic bag ban
BALTIMORE — Starting Nov. 1, you'll need to bring your own reusable shopping bag in Baltimore County or you'll be charged five cents.
The Baltimore County Council just passed a plastic bag ban at their meeting Monday night. The bill passed 5 to 2.
The bill was introduced by council member Izzy Patoka and two other councilmen.
"Plastic bags have been a menace on our environment for many, many years and now we're going to address that issue," Patoka said.
There were two council members who did not agree with the bill. One of them, Council Chair Julian Jones, the other, District Seven Councilmember Todd Crandell.
"I've reached the conclusion that this bill is a complete government overreach into the relationship consumers have with the establishments that they patronize."
Councilmembers spent a lot of time talking about a number of amendments to the bill.
The original bill would have required stores to charge 10 cents per plastic bag, but that was changed to five.
The bill was also amended to give a 90-day enforcement grace period to businesses.
Councilmembers voted make farmers markets exempt from charging for plastic bags.
We spoke to a couple Baltimore County residents about this decision.
"I think that's ridiculous," Baltimore County resident Keith DeFontes said. "I think the county needs to let people be people. Stay out of their personal affairs and, pretty much, if they want to use plastic, let them use plastic."
We found people who were on different sides of the issue.
"If it can deter us from tearing up the environment and using so much and not putting it back, that's a good thing," Baltimore County resident Rishaun Burkeen said.
Council members said the money charged for bags it is not a tax and businesses do not have to give the county that money.
County leaders said the point of charging is to deter people from using plastic bags.If it passes, the act will go into effect on November 1.
