Committee advances expanded single-use plastics ordinance to full council after divided vote

Beaufort Countys Natural Resources Committee voted to forward a set of proposed updates to the countys 2018 plastic bag ordinance to county council for first reading after a 5-2 voice vote on Feb. 3, 2026.

The amendments would expand the existing ban to cover both thin and thick single-use plastic carryout bags, add expanded polystyrene (commonly called Styrofoam) disposable food-service ware to the restricted list and require plastic cutlery and single-use straws to be provided only upon customer request. Staff said the package includes an eight-month transition period after the last municipality adopts similar language.

"This revised ordinance will prohibit thick and thin plastic bags, eliminate polystyrene foam products, [and] make carry out cutlery and plastic straws available on request," said Grant McClure, South Coast office director for the Coastal Conservation League, who urged the committee to adopt the language. McClure cited a countywide survey of roughly 6,000 responses indicating public and business support for further restrictions.

County environmental planner Juliana Zadic, who presented the draft, said the changes aim to protect landfill and stormwater infrastructure, reduce roadside litter and limit microplastics entering local waterways and seafood supplies. "The current science says that humans are eating about five grams of plastic a week," Zadic said, summarizing research the county relied on during outreach.

Supporters emphasized local data and partnership work. Courtney Kimmel, director of conservation for the Port Royal Sound Foundation, described a decade of plankton monitoring that consistently found microscopic plastics mixed with marine life and said the proposed ordinance reflects community and municipal input.

Several committee members voiced concerns about enforcement and economic effects on consumers and small businesses. One member who said they regularly pick up roadside litter told the committee that in their experience plastic bottles and food packaging are more common than single-use plastic bags; another questioned whether the rule would significantly reduce visible litter.

After discussion and a short roll-call-style voice tally, two members objected to taking the item to council for first reading; the chair declared the motion carried 5-2.

The committee did not adopt the ordinance itself; it moved the draft forward to county council for first reading and additional municipal review. Staff told the committee it would seek municipal first readings before second reading at the county level, where the ordinance language would be finalized and any needed exemptions clarified.

Next steps: the draft will appear on the full county council agenda for first reading; municipalities in the county have been engaged in parallel review but have not all taken formal action.