Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

[storewanderer]

Looks like activist groups in NY are getting really upset the plastic bag ban is not being enforced. It is not being enforced due to a lawsuit that hasn't been heard yet... we will see if it is heard or thrown our or what by June 15.

https://www.wamc.org/post/activists-pre ... nforcement

And that quote in the article from DEC Chief of Staff is the same old quote that has been floating around about this since March.

At this point these activist groups better just focus on even being allowed to bring reusable bags into the store again, let alone reinstating a plastic bag ban. These people have been slapped in the face hard after meddling in other people's business way too much, and they need to take things one step at a time here: focus on getting the reusable bags even allowed in the store first before trying to force everyone to use them again.

Then there is the paper bag shortage issue... that is another problem.

[veteran+]

Looks like activist groups in NY are getting really upset the plastic bag ban is not being enforced. It is not being enforced due to a lawsuit that hasn't been heard yet... we will see if it is heard or thrown our or what by June 15.

https://www.wamc.org/post/activists-pre ... nforcement

And that quote in the article from DEC Chief of Staff is the same old quote that has been floating around about this since March.

At this point these activist groups better just focus on even being allowed to bring reusable bags into the store again, let alone reinstating a plastic bag ban. These people have been slapped in the face hard after meddling in other people's business way too much, and they need to take things one step at a time here: focus on getting the reusable bags even allowed in the store first before trying to force everyone to use them again.

Then there is the paper bag shortage issue... that is another problem.

Sounds a little political..............lol

[BillyGr]

At this point these activist groups better just focus on even being allowed to bring reusable bags into the store again, let alone reinstating a plastic bag ban.

Then there is the paper bag shortage issue... that is another problem.

Not sure about all parts of the state, but here of the three chains, two (ShopRite and Price Chopper/Market 32) have not prohibited them (PC had signs that those using them would have to pack their own) and Hannaford posted signs to prohibit them for a short time but no longer does (just the same rules on pack your own), while they did leave the prohibition in the other states they are in (this is from their website).

Hannaford has had bags (paper or plastic) as has PC at no cost - as far as I know ShopRite stuck with paper only and charging (since that prompt still exists on the self check).

[storewanderer]

Sounds a little political..............lol

And that is the problem. What grocery bags a person uses, should not even be in the realm of being political. And there is no reason to make it political. Before long whether or not someone drinks Coke or Pepsi will somehow be made political. At some point there has to be an end.

As I said before: people should be able to use whatever bag they want. And they should mind their own business regarding it. Had people kept to their own business, we would not see all these reusable bags suddenly being prohibited, those who were into using them would be using them (and taking proper care in cleaning them) and those who weren't into the reusable bags and don't take proper care in cleaning them (the cause of the bans on reusable bags) would just be using the store provided bags all along and not either going around with dirty reusables that are poorly cared for or forced to be paying a regressive bag fee to get a super thick bag that generates 10-20 times more plastic waste per bag than the old store provided bags did.

[storewanderer]

Not sure about all parts of the state, but here of the three chains, two (ShopRite and Price Chopper/Market 32) have not prohibited them (PC had signs that those using them would have to pack their own) and Hannaford posted signs to prohibit them for a short time but no longer does (just the same rules on pack your own), while they did leave the prohibition in the other states they are in (this is from their website).

Hannaford has had bags (paper or plastic) as has PC at no cost - as far as I know ShopRite stuck with paper only and charging (since that prompt still exists on the self check).

As of today in NorCal, Safeway, Raleys, Holiday, and Whole Foods all continue to prohibit reusable bags in their stores with signage at the doors and in some cases security telling you not to bring them in if you try.

Smiths in NV I am still finding interesting as one store is accepting reusable bags but you have to bag yourself, while all of the other locations have signs posted prohibiting reusable bags. I believe Kroger's rule is the store is supposed to accept it but you bag it yourself. I think we have a local rule in Reno/Sparks outright prohibiting the reusable bags per the health department though.

[SamSpade]

Paper vs. plastic (and shortages) discussed here - https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/ ... tores.html

New Seasons says customers can bring bags back June 10, per CDC guidance.

[storewanderer]

Paper vs. plastic (and shortages) discussed here - https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/ ... tores.html

New Seasons says customers can bring bags back June 10, per CDC guidance.

The only thing changing is you can now physically bring the bags into the store again. You still have to bag the items yourself even after June 10. Still treating the reusable bags as a big germ they don't want their employees to have to touch (you can bring it in, but we won't touch it and you get to bag the items yourself).

But at least now people won't be taking cartfulls of loose groceries out to the parking lot and filling their reusable bags at their car trunk, now they can just move the items directly from the counter into the reusable bags and not have to screw around in the parking lot. So this is at least a start in making it a little easier to allow the people who insist on using reusable bags, to do so with minimal inconvenience. Also not having the employee touch the bags and not having the bags go on the belt, counter, etc. will keep the bags cleaner as well. This might actually be preferrable in some ways.

Direct quote from the article:

“We will be welcoming customers’ reusable shopping bags again starting June 10, following the CDC’s recent guidance regarding minimal risk of exposure from surfaces,” Teune said.

“To help everyone in the store feel comfortable," she added, “and to help support proper social distancing, we will kindly ask customers who do bring reusable shopping bags to clean them between visits and be prepared to bag their own groceries.”

[klkla]

And that is the problem. What grocery bags a person uses, should not even be in the realm of being political. And there is no reason to make it political. Before long whether or not someone drinks Coke or Pepsi will somehow be made political. At some point there has to be an end.

It's not political in the Republican vs. Democratic way. It's political because the petroleum companies use their clout and money to influence politicians (of both parties) and media companies. They have a vested interest in maintaining the production of plastic bags.

The comparison with Coke vs. Pepsi isn't relevant in this case. In order for it to be relevant you would have to have a scenario where, as an example, Coke created environmental damage, and Pepsi didn't. But that's obviously not the case.

The problem here is that plastic bags are not biodegradable. That's what is really at the center of this controversy. Everybody needs to go back to that root cause of the problem and start over at finding effective solutions.

[storewanderer]

The problem here is that plastic bags are not biodegradable. That's what is really at the center of this controversy. Everybody needs to go back to that root cause of the problem and start over at finding effective solutions.

Compostable bags are the solution.

[klkla]

The problem here is that plastic bags are not biodegradable. That's what is really at the center of this controversy. Everybody needs to go back to that root cause of the problem and start over at finding effective solutions.

Compostable bags are the solution.

Compostable is not the same as biodegradable but it is better than nothing. At this point though it is not viable because the cost is significantly higher to produce than regular plastic bags.

The best solution is for more people to use reusable bags. Preferably ones that can be turned inside out and machine washed.