Philadelphia will begin enforcing its ban on single-use plastic bags starting on April 1, after a six-month grace period where only warnings were issued. The law was passed by City Council in December 2019, but its implementation was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It officially went into effect on July 1, when business owners were required to start displaying signs informing customers about the upcoming ban.
The prohibition then went into effect on Oct. 1, but the city provided business owners with an extended period to be in compliance. Those who don’t follow the law will now face violations with financial penalties, according to a release from the Mayor’s Office. The minimum fee for those who violate the rule is $150, and each separate violation is subject to another fine. Businesses that repeatedly or egregiously ignore the ordinance could be taken to court by the city.
The ban prohibits businesses from using all single-use plastic bags, including ones made with polylactic acid, as well as paper bags made with less than 40% recyclable content. However, there are some exemptions to the rule. Dry cleaner bags, bags customers use to bring perishable items to a register from elsewhere in a store and bags that come packaged in multiples – like trash and pet waste bags – will still be available. Reusable bags that are permitted include ones made of nylon, cotton, cloth, polyester or another material specifically designed and manufactured to be used multiple times.