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Middleton committee weighs voluntary strategies for reducing single-use plastic bags
Summary
After a referral from Licenses & Ordinances, the Sustainability Committee discussed voluntary store incentives, point-of-purchase signage, cardboard-box alternatives and possible fees or discounts. Members emphasized statutory constraints and recommended further work before any ordinance.
The Middleton Sustainability Committee took up a referral on plastic-bag reduction and discussed voluntary and educational strategies rather than a ban.
Committee members and staff discussed a menu of options: working with businesses on point-of-purchase signage that asks shoppers whether they need a bag, offering incentives or discounts for customers who bring reusable bags, promoting cardboard-box alternatives used by some stores, and encouraging voluntary retailer charges or rewards. Deb cited California’s model of a per-bag charge as an example of how behavior can change; staff cautioned that the committee would need to check state statute language before proposing any mandatory fee or ban.
Members favored beginning with education and retailer partnerships. Suggestions included a short campaign at checkouts, incentives for customers who bring reusable bags, and outreach at public events. Committee members proposed returning the item to a future meeting as a lead agenda topic so members could prepare concrete proposals backed by statutory review.
No formal motion was taken; the committee agreed to bring the item back for a fuller discussion and legal review.
