Plastic Bag Ban in Mount Pleasant, SC
Mount Pleasant is considering placing a ban on plastic bags and foam containers!! Why one may ask? The single use plastic bags (used for grocery shopping, ect.) are polluting our oceans, the harbor, and our creeks. It not only affects our wildlife and ecosystems but it affects us as well. Everyone loves to eat locally and everyone loves seafood. You know the saying “you are what you eat” well that is literally true. Our local sea critters are eating this plastic and foam that are getting tossed or some how land in our waterways. When we eat our seafood locally we are not only getting a good source of protein, we are also, more likely than not, ingesting micro plastics. YUCK! The Charleston Water keeper, named Andrew Wunderley, believes that action needs to be taken and it needs to be taken NOW. He says that plastic grocery bags, polystyrene, and all plastic made food containers are all huge problems here in Charleston. In South Carolina, a few beach towns have ALREADY put a ban on single use grocery bags. Isle of Palms started this trend and Folly Beach followed them. The tri-county area is not the only place who has noticed this problem, Hilton Head Island AND Surfside Beach have already approved bans on plastic shopping bags in January. The Mount Pleasant city council has a meeting next week to talk about this ban we so badly need to place. There is talk about giving out fines starting at $250 if a business does not follow the ban. Awesome! A few exemptions would be made, I believe for health code reasons, and that includes “foam and plastic bags used for: meat trays, produce and bulk items, flowers or unwrapped bakery goods, dry cleaning, newspapers, fish and frozen foods”. Also, exempt would be life savers and life vests, obviously, we need those for safety purposes This ban was considered last year but state lawmakers shot it down after long consideration. Rumor has it that the house of representatives are going to take a vote soon to decide whether or not to allow this ban, glad they reconsidered! Councilman Owens has already taken into consideration a list of pros that has come out of this ban for barrier islands that have already adopted the ban. Mount Pleasant is the 4th biggest city in the state, so I think that it is very important that we take care of our water and our 85,000 citizens. Councilman Bustos is not so sure about this ban, but I guess we will have to wait until February 13th for the city to reveal the final outcome. Will they follow through with this ban or will they 86 the entire idea for the second time? Twenty sea turtles taken in for treatment at the local aquarium have been treated for consuming plastic products. Although we do not eat turtles, it is cruel and unfair to these helpless animals. Our single use plastic bags are hurting out sea creatures, edible and non-edible, and also hurting us! Keep an eye out for the results of this purposed ban as it will be announced soon!!
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I’m so glad that they are putting effort into doing this though, because it really is effecting the animals and environment. Whenever I walk along the battery I pick up at least a few plastic bags that have been wedged in between this walls that would have eventually fallen into the water. It really is an issue!
I agree that Mount Pleasant desperately needs to approve this ban on plastic bags and foam containers. Like Molly stated, these items are dangerous components that harm both the surrounding wildlife and ourselves. My own family has already taken measures to reduce the use of plastic and foam by purchasing reusable grocery bags. I am very excited that Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, and Hilton Head have all made headway in reducing the usage of plastic, polystyrene, and foam. I hope that other places, and not just our own home, can follow suit and understand the importance of keeping our oceans clean and our animals safe.
I think this would help our environment greatly. The use of reusable bags has always been something i am passionate about. I enjoy fishing and when you go out, the amount of trash floating throughout the ocean is outrageous. Plastic bags are a large majority of the trash. I really do think that if passed this ban would lead to other counties banning them and help us limit the amount of trash throughout the ocean.
Great post, Molly! I believe you`d be interested to check out the “ban on plastic bag bans” that just passed the SC House and is moving to the Senate. If it becomes law, then places like Mt. Pleasant wouldn`t be allowed to make bans on single-use plastic anymore. https://openstates.org/sc/bills/2017-2018/H3529/