WESTFIELD – The city council’s public health and safety commission met Thursday to discuss a plastic bag ban for the city.
The discussion has been ongoing in city council, and is being spurred by three Westfield State University seniors who presented research and the documentary “Bag It” for the city council May 5. Westfield is looking to join 26 cities and towns in Mass. who have a single-use plastic bag ban. The commission discussed options regarding putting a plan in place, in addition to alternatives to use in place of plastic bags.
“The thing is it’s an education and people go through it,” Mary Anne Babinski, city councilor said about the potential ban. “Eventually people realize it’s not good for them. It’s an education process, it’s involving the public.”
The commission did not pass or formulate any legislature, but considered making either an ordinance or bylaw for a plastic bag ban. The ban would potentially mirror those seen in cities like Northampton, Greenfield and what is up for vote soon in Amherst.
“It’s not only a hazard to the environment and animals… It’s also a health hazard,” Babinski said. “It’s bigger than just these plastic bags.”
The idea of a ban is not without opponents, however.
“I wouldn’t say let’s just ban all plastic bags, because there are biodegradable plastic bags out there,” Andrew Surprise, ward three city councilor said in the meeting.
Surprise is not part of the commission.
Surprise suggested using biodegradable plastic bags in place of standard plastic bags, such as those made from lignin, which is a natural polymer found in organic plant materials.
Surprise added via email, “[t]his new technology creates bags that should biodegrade within 180 days. According to CycleWood Solutions [a company that produces the bags], the cost of these plastic bags should be only 1.5 cents per bag.”
Other options discussed by the commission included having businesses utilize paper bags, which are more easily recyclable and biodegradable than standard plastic bags, or reusable tote bags.
The council will next meet June 2.
