Tybee Island Council delays plastic bag ban ordinance

COLUMBUS (Scrap Monster): The proposal to ban plastic bags citywide has been delayed by Tybee Island officials. The ordinance prohibiting retailers from distributing non-reusable and non-recyclable bags at checkouts has been returned for a second reading for want of more public input. The second reading will be brought after 120 days, officials added. The Council discussion went for more than two hours.

Councilman Paul Wolff, known as ardent supporter of the ordinance, stated that more work shall be done on the ordinance in order to make it acceptable to everyone. Several biologists pointed out the harmful effects caused by plastic waste. Plastics that are thrown into lakes and oceans ultimately reach oceans, where they break down into smaller pieces, which in turn could endanger marine life.

However, business owners have raised strong protests against the ban. According to them, plastic bags constitute only a small portion of the garbage issue. Instead, they urged the council members to educate tourists and residents about safe disposal of bags. They also demanded rolling out of additional garbage cans. They argued that ban on plastic bags will not be a permanent solution to the issue.

Several organizations including American Plastic Bag Alliance (APBA) stated that the ordinance is not an effective way to battle out the threats caused by plastic bags. Instead, they called upon the council to step up recycling efforts