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Council approves amended single-use plastic bag ordinance after heated debate
Summary
Beaufort County Council voted to advance an amended ordinance limiting single-use plastic carryout bags and certain disposable food-service ware, replacing misdemeanor penalties with civil citations and explicitly covering government entities; councilors debated cost impacts on businesses and exemptions before passage on second reading.
Beaufort County Council moved an amended single‑use plastic bag ordinance forward on second reading after an extended public hearing and council debate.
The ordinance, amended to clarify that government entities are subject to the same restrictions and to replace misdemeanor penalties with civil citations, passed the council’s second‑reading vote. Staff said the changes respond to concerns raised at an earlier meeting. As Juliana, county staff leading the ordinance draft, summarized: "The first change is to section 38‑163 regulations … [and] the other change is to section 38‑165 penalties … to replace the reference to a misdemeanor with a civil violation." (staff paraphrase from the public record).
The measure drew a mix of public testimony. Jean Zapfel, co‑chair of Keep Beaufort County Beautiful and a participant in drafting the ordinance, told the council the proposal "eliminates that thicker plastic bag" allowed by the 2018 rule, clarified that styrofoam misconceptions are unwarranted, and said the changes merely require customers to "ask for" utensils and straws rather than force stores to buy more expensive materials. Zapfel urged passage, adding, "When you look at studies of communities that have done that, it saved some money."
Opponents on council warned of higher costs for local businesses and questioned exemptions. Councilman Cunningham said he remained opposed, arguing switching from some single‑use items could be "three and a half times" more expensive for restaurants and that the government should not regulate day‑to‑day business operations. Council member Lawson likewise described the proposal as government overreach and said consumer choice should drive the market.
Supporters urged the council to consider environmental impacts and recycling limits. Staff and proponents noted that Styrofoam is not recyclable through municipal solid‑waste streams, and that substituting more recyclable plastics reduces microplastic pollution.
On enforcement and penalties, the approved amendment replaced any criminal penalties with a tiered civil citation scheme (up to $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second in 12 months, and $500 for further violations) and explicitly extended the prohibition to county facilities and events.
The ordinance advanced on second reading with a roll‑call vote; council staff recorded the motion as passing and the measure now returns for a third reading and final vote with the adopted amendments. Council members and staff said additional tweaks remain possible before final adoption.
