This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Doylestown
Township Single-Use Plastic Bag Ordinance."
For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions
shall apply unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
CUSTOMER
Any person purchasing goods or services from a retail establishment.
EFFECTIVE DATE
The effective date of the ordinance that added this chapter
to the Doylestown Township Code.
EXEMPTED BAG
Include:
A.
A bag used to package bulk items such as fruit, vegetables,
nuts, grains, or candy;
B.
A bag used to contain or wrap meats or fish; to contain unwrapped
prepared foods or bakery goods;
C.
A bag used solely to contain live animals, such as fish or insects
sold in a pet store;
D.
A bag sold in packaging containing multiple bags and packaged
at the time of manufacture of the bag;
E.
Laundry or dry-cleaning bags;
G.
Non-handled bags used to protect a purchased item from damaging
or contaminating other purchased items when placed in a reusable bag
or recycled paper bag.
PLASTIC
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.
RECYCLED PAPER BAG
A paper bag that meets the following, but not including an
exempted bag:
A.
Contains no old-growth fiber;
B.
Contains a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content; and
C.
Is labeled in an easy-to-read font size with the name of the
manufacturer and the percentage of post-consumer recycled content.
RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT
Any person, corporation, partnership, business venture, or vendor that sells or provides food, merchandise, goods, or materials for direct sale or delivery to a customer, whether or not for profit, including, but not limited to: restaurants (eat-in and/or take-out food), food trucks, farmers' markets, bars, pharmacies, convenience and grocery stores, seasonal and temporary businesses or markets, service stations, delicatessens, retail stores, delivery services, or other similar nonresidential uses (not including dry cleaners). For purposes of this chapter, retail establishments shall also include public gatherings, as defined in Chapter
58, Assemblies, Mass Public, of the Doylestown Township Code of Ordinances.
REUSABLE BAG
A bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured
for multiple uses and is:
A.
Made of cloth or other machine-washable fabric that has stitched
handles; or
B.
A polypropylene bag that has stitched handles.
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAG
A bag that is manufactured from plastic using a blown-film
extrusion process, but not including an exempted bag.
Beginning 120 days after the effective date of this chapter,
and for at least 180 days thereafter, retail establishments are required
to post at all points of sale conspicuous signage that:
A. Informs customers that single use plastic bags and non recycled paper
bags will no longer be provided by the retail establishment as of
the date the prohibition begins;
B. Explains what types of bags and purchases are impacted; and
C. Provides other information the Township may require by regulation,
if applicable.