DELAWARE- The problems that plastic bags present can affect key features in the first state, which is why a ban is now in effect.
You will not see plastic bags at the checkout lines in grocery stores, large retailers, or smaller stores that are at least 3,000 square feet that have three or more locations. Instead they have been replaced with paper bags that will be given to you free of charge or you can buy reusable bags.
DNREC Chief of Public Affairs Nikki Lavoie explained the dangers of plastic bags on the environment.
"By reducing the number of plastic bags, we are reducing waste to our landfills there," Lavoie said. "But, we are also helping to mitigate the number of plastic bags that do end up in the recycling cart even though they are not supposed to be."
There are some cases where stores will not supply a bag at all. For example, Wawa is only offering the purchase of reusable bags at checkout or you can carry everything yourself.
Small businesses are not included in the plastic bag ban. Owner of Carlton’s Men's & Women's Apparel Trey Kraus has been using paper bags since he opened and understands the importance of them in helping protect the beaches.
"We need to keep it clean," Kraus said. "We need to take care of our assets and resources here. I’ve done coastal cleanup and one of the big offenders that we find of trash are plastic bags."
Restaurants and bars are also excluded from the ban. Takeout orders or your leftovers can still be carried out in a plastic bag if that is what the business supplies.
