‘I’m not a fan of this one’: Why Myrtle Beach is divided on possible plastic bag ban
Single-use plastic bags could soon be prohibited in Myrtle Beach businesses.
With municipalities across the country banning the use of plastic bags, city officials are discussing a possible ban that would go into effect in 2021. The current draft of the ordinance calls for certain stores, such as groceries and food markets, convenience stores and restaurants to forgo single-use carry-out bags.
An exemption would be made for plastic bags used for meat and produce, dry cleaners and newspapers, prescription drugs, garbage bags, and pet waste.
“Plastics are going to be a huge cost not just in our country but in the world,” Councilwoman Mary Jeffcoat said during Thursday’s City Council monthly workshop. “As a society, I think we’re going to be moving away from plastics gradually and this is the city’s effort to be a part of that.”
While some officials agreed a ban would benefit the environment and marine life, Councilman Mike Lowder believes it would discriminate against retail establishments. Lowder and Councilman Mike Chestnut also expressed concern with business owners being saddled with the cost of replacing plastic bags with bio-degradable options.
“I’m not a fan of this one,” Lowder said. “I don’t see the plastic bags as being a bigger issue than people who have them.”
Consumers could feel the effect of a ban if business owners increase their prices to manage a potential rise in operational costs to substitute plastic, Lowder added.
“My concern is, where do you stop?” Chestnut said.
Mayor Brenda Bethune suggested prohibiting plastic bags specifically on the beach, but the city’s Beach Advisory Committee met last month, at the council’s request, and passed a motion urging city officials to consider constituting a city-wide ban. The committee said it would be difficult to enforce a ban on the beach without an official law in place.
Implementing a new beach rule instead of an official law would disrupt vacationers, City Manager John Pedersen said.
The Sun News spoke with several tourists at the beach Friday morning about the possibility of citywide ban. While many were carrying plastic bags to hold their shoes, garbage or sea shells, all agreed a ban on plastic would be practical and worthwhile.
“I think a ban is good because people are not careful about taking the bag with them,” Georgia resident Betsy Popkin said. “You don’t want the birds or the ocean and any of the wildlife to get ahold of the bag. When you live close to the ocean, there should be a ban on plastics.”
New York native Janet Lupinacci, who vacations in Myrtle Beach several times a year, said she would have no problem using reusable bags if a law went into effect.
“We have been to places where they don’t use plastic straws or plastic bags and I think it’s amazing,” said Chicago resident Heather Szudy, who added she would have purchased a reusable bag from the store she shopped in had it been an option. “I wish they would do that everywhere.”
While city officials said they aren’t in a hurry to pass an ordinance, they agreed to analyze data and research from other municipalities who have passed a similar law.
North Myrtle Beach became the second municipality in Horry County to ban single-use plastic bags last month. The North Myrtle Beach ban will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2021, with city officials focusing heavily on education and communication prior to the phase-in.
Along with North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach banned single-use plastic bags last year. Other S.C. areas, including Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, The Isle of Palms, Folly Beach and Bluffton, have banned plastic bags from their stores and restaurants. Several restaurants along the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk have also switched from plastic straws to paper.
Before an ordinance is passed, Bethune said she wants input from local businesses. She said the council needs to be careful about proposing laws that create challenges for how locals conduct business.
“I’m all for it. We’d just have to replace the bags with some kind of recycling bags,” Sandra Sizemore, acting manager of Bargain Beachwear on Ocean Boulevard, told The Sun News. “A lot of our tourists come in carrying their own bags anyway. I think it’s a great idea.”
