As the deadline for Doylestown Borough’s single-use plastic bag ban draws closer, shoppers will begin to see signs alerting them to the new law.
Starting later this month, all borough restaurants and retail businesses are required to prominently post signage at all “points of sale” letting consumers know the ban takes effect June 23. Businesses can find sample signs at the borough’s website, www.doylestownborough.net.
The community’s environmental advisory council also created a sign that businesses are expected to download and use. Graphics for social media, digital newsletters and signage are also available for download so customers know what to expect before they arrive.
Under the ordinance, paper bags made of at least 40 percent recycled material are permitted, as are reusable bags made of cloth, washable fabric or polypropylene that have stitched handles.
Borough businesses that opened before the ordinance was adopted in December 2022 may be eligible for an extension based on its bag inventory, officials said.
After the June 23 deadline, or an approved extension, those violating the ordinance will receive a written warning. Further violations will be subject to possible fines, according to the law.
Doylestown first began studying the ban issue in 2016 and, in 2019, conducted a survey on the use of single-use plastics in the town. Approximately 80 percent of residents responded, with a significant majority supporting limiting their use, the borough reported.
That year, Pennsylvania placed a moratorium on bans that effectively blocked communities from implementing such laws. That initiative expired in 2021. Since then, cities and towns across the state have implemented bans on single-use plastic bags. The state of New Jersey has a similar ban.
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