Following the success of asking Newport City Council to support a resolution that would phase out the use of single-use plastic bags, Clean Ocean Access and members of the community are now asking Middletown Town Council to do the same thing.
On July 18th, Clean Ocean Access will request the Town of Middletown to pass a resolution instructing the administration to draft an ordinance for the elimination of single-use carryout check out bags.
“The City of Newport recently passed a similar resolution, so it makes good sense for the community of Aquidneck Island to develop and implement an island-wide ordinance in a uniform and consistent manner”, said an email from Clean Ocean Access on Wednesday night.
Clean Ocean Access continues to work with the City of Newport to develop the ordinance to phase out the use of single-use plastic bags. If they can get an ordinance passed in Middletown, their next step is to seek council support in Portsmouth.
More than 100 municipalities across the nation have placed restrictions on the use of plastic bags in their communities, Barrington became the first community in Rhode Island to ban plastic bags on January 1st, 2013.
“Aquidneck Island is dependent on a healthy ocean, it makes sense that ocean health is a constant priority and we are a seen as a leader for environmental sustainability by reducing the amount of single-use plastics. The bag ordinance has a strong message of sustainability with a focus on reducing the amount of material consumed, rather than recycling. It is not a question of “paper or plastic”, it is a theme of “bring your own” with a focus on durable reusable bags,” said Clean Ocean Access in a “Ban The Bag” e-mail update.
Besides Clean Ocean Access’s efforts to “ban the bag”, they are also looking at ways to make it illegal to release balloons, looking at how to address the issue of straws litters our coastline and working to introduce a “leave no trace” requirement for all special events.
For more information on Clean Ocean Access, visit www.cleanoceanaccess.org.