Big Y Foods Inc. announced it will eliminate single-use plastic bags at the checkouts from its more than 80 supermarket locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut on Aug. 1.
The stores will offer discounts on reusable bags through the month of August as customers transition away from plastic, according to a Big Y press release.
“For those shoppers who do not bring their own shopping bags beginning in August, a 10-cent charge per paper bag will be added to their bill,” the release states. “This fee is in an effort to promote the use of reusable bags instead of paper, which also cause harm to the environment.”
Big Y has been complying with single-use plastic bag bans in several Massachusetts communities since 2014. Coming off of recent changes to laws in various towns across New England, Big Y has moved up its 2020 timeline to eliminate single-use plastic at checkouts in all of its locations “to streamline operations and to do its part to support sustainability,” according to a press release.
The city of Greenfield was one of those communities, having approved a plastic bag ban in January.
For the first year, from 2020 to 2021, retailers can offer a recyclable paper bag for free or at any charge. By 2021, the ban will be fully operational and retailers will charge a minimum 5 cents per paper bag and be unable to use plastic.
Only retailers will be subject to this ban, with retail being defined as: “Any commercial enterprise, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, including, but not limited to pharmacies, convenience stores, grocery stores, seasonal and temporary businesses, jewelry stores and household good stores.”
Those that will be except from the ordinance include: restaurants drawing more than 80 percent of revenue from the sale of prepared food, liquor stores, bazaars operated by nonprofit organizations or religious institutions, food pantries, soup kitchens, and other governmental and non-for-profit agencies that distribute food or other products to the needy free of charge.
Specific instances that will not be subject to the plastic bag ban are: paper bags given to customers at the pharmacy for medication; a bag without handles that’s used to protect items from damaging or contaminating others, like for vegetables; a bag used to contain unwrapped food; and a bag to cover clothing.
The ban will be enforced by the Greenfield Health Department. Businesses can apply for a waiver because of an “undue hardship,” which is for a variety of specific cases.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 380 billion plastic bags are used in the United States each year.
“At Big Y, beyond providing great quality, great prices and great customer service, we also try to be smart about the resources and energy we use,” said Richard D. Bossie, Big Y senior vice president of operations and customer experience. “By working with our shoppers, we can further reduce consumption to make a difference in and around the tight-knit communities that we serve across New England.”
Customers can keep their reusable bags in shopping-shape by washing them regularly with soap and water or disinfectant wipes. Big Y’s team of registered dietitians share tips for reusable bag cleaning online at bit.ly/2SAaTtc.
Reach Melina Bourdeau at 413-772-0261, ext. 263 or mbourdeau@recorder.com.