Board of Health Wary Of Plastic and Styrofoam Ban Articles
 The Board of Health is declining to support a petition place on the annual town warrant to ban plastic bags. |
ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Health will urge town meeting members to reject a plastic bag and Styrofoam ban articles because of lack of information.
Big Y representative David Smith met with the Board of Health to discuss Articles 32 and 33, which were placed on the warrant via citizen's petition and ban plastic bags and Styrofoam, and the impact it will have on business.
He said the plastic bag ban, as written, will create problems for his store, which uses bags not considered reusable by the articles standards.
He added the 25 cent charge for a bag in the article is too expensive compared to other communities that have adopted similar bans. He said he thinks this extra amount will be difficult for many residents in Adams to pay.
"I think if we enact this in this town. ... it's going to put a big strain on some of the people here," Smith said. "That's going to be a big problem for some of my customers."
He added that people that come into his shop from out of town who do not have reusable bags will have to pay a lot more than expected.
"People aren't going to be very happy when they come into the store and I tell them they have buy bags that will cost the $10 extra on their grocery expenses for the week,' he said. "I just don't see people being very happy about that."
Both articles were submitted via citizen's petition from a Pittsfield attorney. Both articles say the Board of Health and the Police Department are responsible for enforcement and establishments that violate the bylaws may have to pay fines up to $300 or close for up to six months.
The individual that put forth the article refused to meet with the town or affected parties.
Williamstown passed a similar ban at its town meeting but not until after modifying elements such as enforcement on the floor. Those articles, too, were by citizen's petition with no public hearings.
Board of Health member Allen Mendel said the board should not take a stance on Articles 32 and 33 because of the lack of information.
"We have had no info and I would like to propose that, because of the impact this has on us as a board for enforcement among other things, that we take a no vote," Mendel said.
Board of Health member Bruce Shepley felt the board should at least make a statement at town meeting urging town meeting members to reject the articles because there was no presentation and the town was "blindsided."
"This blindsided the select board and everyone else, and there has been no open discussion with those impacted that I am aware of from the parties that presented the article," he said.
Selectman Arthur "Skip' Harrington agreed with Shepley. He added that if the board wanted to keep the articles it may be possible to amend them from town meeting floor so they aren't as strict.
The Board of Health members said they would prepare a statement for town meeting.
Tags: bag ban, board of health, town meeting 2015,
