The state’s ban on bringing reusable bags to grocery stores during the COVID-19 pandemic has been lifted, so cities and towns that had single-use plastic bag bans can now reinstate them.
The Department of Public Health had banned the use of reusable bags — often totes made of canvas, natural fibers, woven synthetics or other materials — to reduce potential COVID-19 exposure and infections for staff and employees, and because of that, allowed cities and towns with bans on single-use bags to return to using them temporarily.
Greenfield’s ban on single-use plastic bags went into effect Jan. 16, and was then suspended by the state on March 25. According to a notice from the Mayor’s Office, businesses that have been using single-use plastic bags will have a 30-day grace period (through Aug. 17) to use up their remaining bags. After that date, if a business still has bags, it can contact the Greenfield Health Department to apply for a waiver until they are gone (413-772-1404).
That means supermarkets including Foster’s, Stop & Shop and Big Y have returned to using paper bags and allowing reusable bags, as they had been doing before the pandemic. Green Fields Market has not used single-use plastic bags, before or during the pandemic. Instead, it has used paper bags. Reusable bags from home will be allowed again.
Hannaford Supermarket Athol/Orange Store Manager Joe Goody said the store plans to deplete its supply of single-use plastic bags by the deadline of Aug. 17. The Town of Athol has a single-use plastic bag ban.
“This won’t be a big deal for us,” said Goody.
He said the store has gone back to allowing customers to use reusable bags, and the supermarket does not charge for paper bags.
Jonathan Steiner, manager of Food City on Avenue A in Turners Falls, said the town doesn’t have a single-use plastic bag ban, so it too will conduct business as usual.
“We are allowing people to use reusable bags now, but they need to be clean,” he said. “We’ve had people try to use pillowcases or nets, and that can’t happen now. We need to keep everyone safe as the pandemic continues.”
Steiner said though people can use their reusable bags, and the store once sold them to people who wanted one or forgot theirs, they don’t have any to sell because they are so difficult to find right now.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-9591 or afritz@recorder.com.