The Coastal Conservation League is working within our community to reduce plastic pollution in the South Coast.
Fortunately local governments are taking steps to reduce plastic pollution in our waterways and along our roadways. Beaufort County, the City of Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, and Port Royal are all in the process of passing a ban on single use plastic bags.
In 2017, Beaufort County drafted an ordinance that would ban single use plastic bags at the point of sale. In the following months, the county hosted five public input meetings to gauge public support for the ordinance. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. As a result, Beaufort County is scheduled to give the ordinance final reading on January 22.
But, the ordinance includes an important stipulation: Beaufort County can only implement a bag ban if all four municipalities sign on. The good news is, all four municipalities are pursing a ban on single use plastic bags. In fact, Hilton Head has already passed their ordinance. We anticipate all four municipalities will pass their ordinances by mid-February.
Consider sending a personal message to your county council member, thanking them for their support.
Of course plastic bags do not respect jurisdictional lines. Our waterways connect us all in the Lowcountry. We look forward to working with citizens, businesses, and local governments to create policies that increase water quality and protect wildlife from plastic pollution.
READ MORE
Bluffton Today: Bluffton Town Council approves first reading of plastic bag ban
The Island Packet: Hilton Head says goodbye to plastic bags. But what happens now?
The Island Packet: Here’s your chance to tell Beaufort County how you feel about a plastic bag ban
The Island Packet: Should Beaufort ban plastic bags? The question is being asked.