Single-Use Plastic Bag Ordinance
June 22, 2018
Councilwoman Ryan’s Single-Use Plastic
Bag Ordinance Reintroduced
(PROVIDENCE) Council Majority Whip Jo-Ann Ryan reintroduced her ordinance to reduce single-use plastic bags in Providence, and it has been referred to committee for review. After meeting with Mayor Elorza, constituents, and community groups, she felt that the time was right to bring the ordinance back before the Council.
Changes to this ordinance include the removal of the $0.10 fee for not having a reusable bag, it requires the City’s Office of Sustainability to present an implementation plan to the City Council no later than 30-days after passage, and calls upon the City to work with the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Center as part of their outreach and implementation plan. This ordinance still addresses significant environmental and economic concerns facing the City and is modeled after those successfully passed in other municipalities and is most similar to the one recently passed in Boston.
Ryan, the lead sponsor of the ordinance, said, “After the Mayor’s veto I embarked on a listening tour, and I heard the concerns of the community and worked to ensure that all voices were heard in the creation of this updated ordinance. This is the beginning of us collectively working together to rid our city, landfills, and oceans of single-use plastics, and I am proud to be leading that effort. I will continue my work with my colleagues, the Mayor’s administration, and community partners to move this forward and will ensure robust community engagement and public discourse. We will hold a public hearing at an upcoming committee meeting to ensure that all voices have an opportunity to share their concerns, questions, and suggestions on how we can make this ordinance work for the people of Providence.”
The Ordinance has been referred to committee where it will be vetted and open for public comment
Read the full post and ordinance details on the City Council web site >