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Coastal Conservation League urges Beaufort County to close loophole in 2017 plastic bag ordinance
Summary
Grant McClure of the Coastal Conservation League told Beaufort County leaders the 2017 single‑use plastic bag ordinance leaves a loophole for thicker bags and other disposable items; board members and public commenters pressed for stronger enforcement, hauler accountability and a regional litter campaign.
Grant McClure, project manager for the Coastal Conservation League, told Beaufort County leaders that the county’s 2017 single‑use bag ordinance needs tightening to block thicker, higher‑grade plastic bags and other disposable items from continuing to pollute local waterways and beaches.
McClure, who said municipalities across the county originally adopted a uniform ordinance, told the meeting the Keep Beaufort County Beautiful board proposed revised language in May to close that loophole and expand restrictions to foam takeout containers and single‑use cutlery. “We’ve got a problem, and it’s persisted,” McClure said, citing cleanup data and the experience of volunteers collecting litter on local shores.
Why it matters: County leaders and residents framed the issue as both an environmental and community‑image problem. McClure cited studies and local cleanup tallies — including a 2023 South Carolina Aquarium tally he said found 875 plastic bags in the Charleston Harbor — to argue that heavier bags and other disposables are increasing in local litter streams and in storm drains.
Board members and the public pressed for concrete enforcement and coordination. Alan (speaker 5) said litter removal and cleanup already consume a sizable portion of the municipal budget on Hilton Head and proposed stronger penalties for beach litter, including a fine he described as a $1,000 penalty for leaving trash on the beach. A committee member (speaker 3) blamed some trash on uncovered commercial haulers and urged stronger regulation or responsibility for haulers. McClure agreed both education and source‑control matter and recommended phased rules, hardship exemptions like Charleston’s, and outreach to local businesses to ease the transition.
Community action and next steps: Chris Campbell, head of Beaufort County Beautiful, urged using visitor‑related revenues to support cleanup and enforcement and said volunteer cleanups consistently find plastics. Mayor (speaker 2) said he would place litter and recycling on a future agenda for fuller county consideration and noted an upcoming county litter sweep organized with local partners.
No formal vote was taken. The presentation closed with board discussion and a commitment to add litter, recycling and ordinance language to a future agenda so policymakers can review proposed draft language and stakeholder feedback.
