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Bring Your Own Bag - Information for Businesses
Important information for Middletown Businesses
Plastic Bags will be banned as of October 1st, 2019
Starting October 1, 2019, businesses and restaurants will no longer be able to provide plastic checkout bags.
Businesses should use up their supply now. There will be no exemptions after October 1, 2019.
Extra bags can be donated to a non profit organization or brought to a plastic bag and film recycling location for recycling.
Alternative Paper Bags can be offered for a charge
If customers don't have their own bag, merchants can provide alternative paper bags for ten cents.
- Paper bags must meet this criteria:
- Must contain no old growth fiber
- Must be 100% recyclable
- Must contain 40% post consumer recycled content
- Must display the word "reusable" or "recyclable" on the outside of the bag
Here are some lists of vendors that sell paper bags and reusable bags. Special thanks to the Middletown Garden Club for helping compile this information. These lists are not an endorsement or recommendation of any of these businesses.
The cost of the paper bag must be on the receipt.
The ten cents stays with the merchant.
Exemption to the ten cent cost.
The ten cent cost does not apply to those who purchase items with government food assistance programs, such as SNAP and WIC.
Merchants must post signs near the point of purchase.
Businesses must post signs near the point of purchase to notify customers of this ordinance. The City will be providing signs for this purpose, or businesses can develop their own signs.
Bags that are still allowed
This ordinance does not apply to laundry or dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags, paper gift bags, produce bags, product bags, or bags solid in packages.
Staff Training
Staff need to be retrained to ask if customers have their own bag or need a bag. If they do need a bag, the ten cent cost must go on the receipt.
Enforcement
Upon notification, the City Enforcement Officer will investigate. If there is a ing violation, a written warning will be given and plan developed to remedy the violation. Upon subsequent violation, the store will receive a penalty of $45/occurrence.
Restaurants
Restaurants will also have to abide by this ordinance for takeout and leftovers. We encourage restaurants to not use bags for one or two items. Larger amounts will need bags and customers can bring their own bags to pack them in. More information for restaurants can be found here.
More information
Thank you to all the businesses who attended our meetings to learn about this ordinance. Below is the presentation given at those events. If you have further questions contact the City Recycling Coordinator.
Business Presentation - June 4 and June 10, 2019.