BREWSTER – Sustainable Practices, the non-profit behind last year’s effort to pass municipal plastic beverage bottle bans in eleven Cape Cod Towns (Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Harwich, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Wellfleet, and Yarmouth), is facing a new challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The eleven towns who voted on the municipal ban last year, were expected to vote on commercial plastic water bottle bans this spring. However, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, town meetings across the Cape were postponed. A vote to pass municipal bans in Mashpee, Bourne, and Truro this spring was also postponed. The Town of Barnstable had already adopted the ban last month through its operating department, and is working on implantation through its recreation department.
Massachusetts also lifted the states plastic bag ban.
“It’s very unfortunate the State decided to impose itself in communities where the ban was already in place, because those establishments that were dispensing bags, were dispensing paper bags. There was absolutely no need to open the door for plastic bags,” said Executive Director of Sustainable Practices Dr. Madhavi Venkatesan.
Dr. Venkatesan also referenced that she does not believe that your own personal bag is less safe than a plastic bag a store gives you for single use.
“Why would I assume that a plastic bag that’s coming through a transportation system, that’s been handled many different ways, would have less contamination than a bag that’s been in my possession,” said Venkatesan.
The Votes that were postponed this spring are expected to take place this fall.
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