COVID-19 stalls plastic bag ban in Cache Valley
The COVID-19 outbreak has greatly affected Logan’s efforts to be the third city in Utah to eliminate the use of plastic bags.
Most notably, many businesses have stopped allowing patrons to bring reusable bags in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus.
Feb. 5, Logan City Council, along with the Solid Waste Advisory Board, made a timeline change affecting the plastic bag ban. They decided that rather than implementing the ban on April 22 as previously planned, they would opt for a transition to the ban. The transition would last through July 31 to allow businesses more time to adjust to the new city standards. New guidelines for safety and cleanliness due to COVID-19 have changed the council’s plans even more.
In an interview with KSL News, Jeff Young, Richmond mayor and chairman of the Cache County Solid Waste Advisory Board, said the new rules for cleanliness and sanitation would force the council to rethink the bill. Young added that they know the ban will be difficult for businesses. During this time of economic recession, their main focus should be on doing whatever they can to support them, he said.
Robert Davies, a physics professor at USU, has been involved with the plastic bag ban since its proposal last spring.
“If they have indeed said they need to ‘prioritize business’― I would ask, at the expense of what? Prioritize over what? The health of our citizens? The health of our life support system (the environment)?” Davies said. “The COVID-19 situation illustrates that, as we move forward, we need to do so in a holistic manner. We need to take into account the full collection of social, environmental and health concerns. A holistic, responsible approach is to prioritize the well-being of our community.”
In February 2019, city council member Herm Olsen proposed a ban on single-use plastic bags in Logan stores. The ban was met with great support from Utah State University students and some residents of Logan. Olsen proposed the ban on a city level because waiting for it to come through state legislation would be a “forever prospect.”
Supporters of the ban said plastic bags are bad for the environment, contaminate recycling and litter the community when blown out of garbage cans or landfills. They also said thin plastic bags could be dangerous to animals.
However, even with all the support, the proposed ban was met with some dissent from the community.
Opponents of the ban said the inconvenience might drive business out of town. Small business owners reminded the council of the added expense of providing paper and reusable bags. Council member Jess Bradfield said the ban was anti-business, and individuals should be trusted to make their own conscious choices.
In the end, the council unanimously decided to table the discussion. In December 2019, the bill was passed including two measures: a city wide ban on plastic bags, and county wide measures to limit plastic consumption. These were to take effect on April 22.
The measure would still allow businesses to offer plastic bags at a 10 cent charge to customers. The county wide limit on plastic use will charge businesses for every ton of waste they produce.
Although the measure has already passed, the council may be taking this opportunity to seriously reconsider how the ban will look in action.
Moab and Park City have implemented similar bans that have been met with success in their communities.