Reducing Plastic Waste

On Monday, April 11, Haverford Township’s Board of Commissioners passed the plastic pollution reduction ordinance with a minor amendment. The ordinance will go into effect January 2, 2023. This bill prohibits commercial establishments from providing single-use plastic bags and single-use plastic stirrers.

Exemptions include: Product bags; newspaper bags; bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended for use as food storage bags, garbage bags, or pet waste bags; or laundry or dry-cleaner bags. Commercial establishments will charge a minimum of 10 cents for compliant bags (paper or re-useable) - the fee will go to the commercial establishment. A restaurant establishment may opt out of the compliant bag fee for food takeout and deliveries. Additionally, the ordinance states that no commercial establishment shall provide to any customer a single-use plastic straw unless a customer first requests it. All food service establishments shall maintain a sufficient supply of single-use plastic straws to accommodate any such request.

A copy of the passed ordinance can be viewed on the Haverford Township website at www.havtwp.org. A recording of the April 11, 2022 meeting can be found on Haverford Township’s YouTube channel. Provided by Judy Trombetta 4th Ward Commissioner