[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Springfield 8-9-2023 by Ord. No. 975. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Purpose.
(1) 
The purpose of this chapter is to reduce the use of single-use plastic carry-out bags by retail establishments within the Township, curb litter on the streets, in the parks, and in the trees, protect the local streams, rivers, waterways and other aquatic environments, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce solid waste generation, promote the use of reusable, compostable, and recyclable materials within the Township; preserve the natural, scenic, historic, and aesthetic values of the Township, relieve the pressure on recyclers, who cite single-use plastic carry-out bags as a major source of contamination and inefficiency within the recycling stream, and relieve the pressure for landfills to manage the disposition of single-use products.
B. 
Findings.
(1) 
The use of single-use plastic carry-out bags has severe environmental impacts, including, but not limited to, greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste, litter, harm to wildlife, ground level ozone formation, atmospheric acidification, and water consumption.
(2) 
There are numerous retail establishments within the Township that provide single-use plastic carry-out bags to their customers.
(3) 
Most single-use plastic carry-out bags are made from plastic or other materials that do not readily decompose.
(4) 
Approximately one hundred billion single-use plastic carry-out bags are discarded by United States' consumers each year. Given the difficulty of recycling these materials, less than 1% of single-use plastic carry-out bags are returned for recycling in the United States, and in the Township, such bags are not curbside recyclable, and they are not among materials accepted as part of the Township's residential recycling program.
(5) 
Numerous studies have documented the prevalence of single-use plastic carry-out bags littering the environment, blocking storm drains, entering local waterways, and becoming stuck in or upon natural resources and public property.
(6) 
The taxpayers of the Township pay the costs related to the cleanup of single-use plastic carry-out bags from the Township's roadways, trees, sewers, waters, and parks.
(7) 
Recyclers cite single-use plastic carry-out bags as a major source of contamination within the recycling stream, leading to increased costs and decreased efficiency.
(8) 
From an overall environmental and economic perspective, the best alternative to single-use plastic carry-out bags is a shift to reusable bags followed by compostable or recyclable paper bags.
(9) 
Alternatives to single-use plastic carry-out bags are readily available in and around the Township.
(10) 
Studies have documented that placing a prohibition on the distribution of single-use plastic carry-out bags at the point of sale and placing a fee on other bags reduces the negative environmental impacts and use of single-use plastic carry-out bags.
(11) 
The Board of Commissioners desires to conserve resources, reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, waste, litter, water pollution, and protect the public health and welfare, including wildlife, as a way to increase the quality of life for Springfield Township's residents and visitors.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CUSTOMER
Any person purchasing goods or services from a retail establishment.
DISTRIBUTION or TO DISTRIBUTE
The vending, selling, giving, providing, or delivering of an item for any purpose, whether or not incident to the sale, vending, production, or other provision of any merchandise, product, food, or beverage.
EXEMPT BAG
Exempt bags are not subject to regulation as single-use plastic carry-out bags per this chapter. Exempt bags shall include: (1) laundry and dry-cleaning bags; (2) newspaper bags; (3) bags utilized by retail establishments in connection with food delivery and takeout orders consistent with Subsections A and B below, or pursuant to the definition of "single-use plastic carry-out bag" as found in this section; and (4) bags utilized in connection with the delivery of goods by mail or transportation delivery service providers. Additionally, a bag used at a retail establishment by a customer to deliver perishable items to the point-of-sale at that establishment shall be exempt from regulation as a single-use plastic carry-out bag per this chapter, which may include, but are not necessarily limited to:
[Amended 11-8-2023 by Ord. No. 976]
A. 
Bags used to package bulk items such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, or candy;
B. 
Bags used to contain or wrap meats or fish or unwrapped prepared foods or bakery goods;
C. 
Bags used solely to contain live animals, such as fish or insects sold in a pet store;
D. 
Bags sold in packaging containing multiple bags and packaged at the time of manufacturing of the bag.
RECYCLABLE PAPER BAG
A paper bag that meets the following, but not including an exempt bag:
A. 
Contains no old growth fiber;
B. 
Is 100% recyclable including the handles;
C. 
Contains a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content; and
D. 
Is labeled in a highly visible manner with the name of the manufacturer, the percentage of post-consumer recycled content of the bag and the words "recyclable" in an easy-to-read font size.
RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT
Any store or commercial establishment that sells perishable or nonperishable goods, including, but not limited to, clothing, food, and personal items, directly to the customer and is located within or doing business within the geographical limits of the Township. Commercial establishments include, but are not necessarily limited to: a business establishment that generates a sales or use tax; a drugstore, pharmacy, supermarket, grocery store, farmers market, convenience food store, food mart, or other commercial entity engaged in the retail sale of a limited line of goods that include milk, bread, soda and snack foods; a public eating establishment (i.e., a restaurant, bar, take-out food establishment, or any other business that prepares and sells prepared food to be eaten on or off its premises); and a business establishment that sells clothing, hardware, or any other nonperishable goods. For purposes of this chapter, retail establishments shall not include bazaars or festivals operated by nonprofit organizations or religious institutions.
REUSABLE CARRY-OUT BAG
A carry-out bag that is designed and manufactured for multiple uses and is:
A. 
Made of cloth or other machine-washable fabric or material that has stitched handles; or
B. 
A polypropylene bag that has stitched handles.
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC CARRY-OUT BAG
A bag made of plastic or other similar material that is provided by a retail establishment to a customer at or around the point of sale that is not a reusable bag or recyclable paper bag. "Plastic," in this case, refers to a synthetic material made from linking monomers through a chemical reaction to create a polymer chain that can be molded or extruded at high heat into various solid forms that retain their defined shapes during their life cycle and after disposal, including material derived from either petrochemicals or a biologically based polymer, such as corn or other plant sources. A single-use plastic bag is currently made through a blown-film extrusion process. A "single-use plastic carry-out bag" shall not include the following:
[Amended 11-8-2023 by Ord. No. 976]
A. 
Exempt bags;
B. 
A bag less than one gallon without handles that is used to protect a purchased item from damaging or contaminating other purchased items when placed in a reusable bag, or recyclable paper bag.
TOWNSHIP
Springfield Township.
Beginning six months after the effective date, retail establishments located in Springfield Township are prohibited from providing a single-use plastic carry-out bag to a customer at the retail establishment or through a delivery. The point-of-sale in such transactions is deemed to be at the retail establishment, regardless of where payment for the transaction physically occurs. Customers may use bags of any type that they bring to the retail establishment themselves, or they may be charged a fee by the retail establishment which supplies the recyclable paper bag or reusable carry-out bag.
Beginning six months after the effective date, retail establishments are prohibited from distributing a bag that is not a recyclable paper bag or a reusable carry-out bag to a customer at the retail establishment.
A. 
A retail establishment may distribute to customers recyclable paper bags at the point of sale, if such bags are provided to the customer for a charge of not less than $0.10 per bag.
(1) 
All monies collected by a retail establishment under this subsection for the distribution of a recyclable paper bag shall be retained by the retail establishment.
(2) 
Any charge for a recyclable paper bag shall be separately stated on any receipt provided to the customer at the time of sale and shall be identified as a "carry-out bag charge" thereon.
Beginning 30 days after the effective date, and for six months thereafter, retail establishments are required to post at all points of sale conspicuous signage informing customers that single-use plastic carry-out bags and non-recycled paper bags will no longer be provided by the establishment as of the date the prohibition begins.
A. 
The Township Manager or designee has the responsibility for enforcement of this chapter and may promulgate reasonable rules and regulations in order to enforce the provisions thereof, including, but not limited to, investigating violations and issuing fines.
B. 
Any retail establishment that violates or fails to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter after an initial written warning notice has been issued for that violation shall be liable for a violation.
C. 
Any retail establishment that receives an initial written warning notice may file a request for an exemption pursuant to the procedure in § 85-8 (Exemptions) below.
D. 
If a retail establishment has subsequent violations of this chapter, after the issuance of an initial written warning notice of violation, the following penalties shall be imposed and shall be payable by the retail establishment:
(1) 
A fine not exceeding $50 for the first violation;
(2) 
A fine not exceeding $150 for the second violation in the same year dating from the first violation;
(3) 
A fine not exceeding $400 for the third and each subsequent violation in the same year dating from the first violation.
E. 
Under no circumstances shall a violator be liable to a fine or penalty exceeding $600 for each offense. In addition to the penalties set forth in this chapter, the Township may seek other appropriate legal, injunctive, or equitable relief to enforce this chapter.
F. 
Each day a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense under this chapter. In addition, each violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense.
G. 
In addition to the penalties set forth in this chapter, the Township may seek legal, injunctive, or other equitable relief to enforce this chapter or to restrain, prevent, or abate a violation of this chapter. Such proceedings may be initiated before any court of competent jurisdiction. The expense of such proceedings shall be recoverable from the violator in any manner as may now or hereafter be provided by law.
H. 
The failure of the Township to enforce any provision of this chapter shall not constitute a waiver by of its rights to future enforcement of such provision hereunder.
The Springfield Township Board of Commissioners may, upon written request of a retail establishment, exempt a retail establishment from the requirements of this chapter for a period of up to one year from the effective date of this chapter upon a determination that the requirements of this chapter would cause undue hardship to the retail establishment. An undue hardship shall be found in the following circumstances or situations, and the Township may attach conditions to the provision of any exemption:
A. 
The retail establishment has a unique circumstance or situation such that there are no reasonable alternatives to the distribution of single-use plastic carry-out bags and/or non-recyclable paper bags;
B. 
Compliance with the requirements of this chapter would deprive the retail establishment of a legally protected right; or
C. 
Additional time is necessary to draw down the retail establishment's existing inventory of single-use plastic carry-out bags and/or non-recyclable paper bags.