Plastic bags won't be returning to New Bedford - at least not for now

NEW BEDFORD - City councilors voted Thursday to table a vote to repeal the city's plastic shopping bag ban in light of a recent state Senate vote to ban their use throughout the state.

The council had been poised to repeal the ban with an affirmative vote Thursday night after having already voted to do so in committee and in a prior regular meeting.

Councilor Linda Morad, pointing to the state Senate vote, motioned to take no further action on the city's repeal vote.

She said that support for the repeal came because some councilors, including herself, felt such a ban could only be effective if it applied throughout the state.

More: Mass. Senate passes plastic bag ban, now to House. New Bedford repealing its ban.

State Senate ban has failed in the past

Councilor Brian Gomes, who had initiated the move to repeal the ban, pointed out that the House had yet to approve a statewide ban. The Senate had failed once in the past to get the ban fully approved, he said.

Gomes motioned to table the council repeal vote in case this latest effort at the state level fails. His motion was passed unanimously.

Mayor Jon Mitchell had said he would veto a ban repeal. However, the council can override such a veto with an eight vote supermajority.

More: New Bedford City Council close to repealing plastic shopping ban bag. What to know.

Ban in New Bedford was originally approved in 2020

The council had approved the ban in 2020.

It applies to retail stores, restaurants, pharmacies, convenience and grocery stores, liquor stores, as well as seasonal and temporary businesses.

The stores must be at least 10,000 square feet in size or include two or more New Bedford locations totaling 10,000 square feet or more.

More: Plastic bags may be making a comeback in New Bedford. Here's why.

Fines range from $100 to $300

The ban had been implemented in early 2022.

Fines for non-compliance include $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second and $300 for third and subsequent offenses.

The single-use plastic bags are defined in the ordinance as being “a plastic film-type bag with or without handles, which is 4 mils thick or less, provided at the point of sale to customers at a business location.”

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Plastic bags won't be returning to New Bedford - at least not for now