Banning together

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On an unseasonably warm September afternoon, Michael Thomas slowly pushed a shopping cart out of Pathmark, 330 Oregon Ave., half-filled with bags — paper inside plastic — holding a week’s worth of groceries. By doubling up the carriers, Thomas said the trip home to Washington Avenue and Third Street on the Route 7 bus would be a little bit easier — the plastic bag’s convenient handles coupled with the paper bag’s sturdiness.

Thomas’ future trips from the grocery store may become more difficult, pending the passage of a bill proposed by 1st District Councilman Frank DiCicco that would ban the use of plastic bags at supermarkets and convenience stores, but the shopper doesn’t seem to mind.

"I’ve got a whole drawer full of them," Thomas said. "If they could make a paper bag with handles, they could just get rid of the plastic ones."

If DiCicco’s bill moves forward, Thomas may get his wish. According to the councilman, the move to rid the city of the material that often finds its way to curbs and corners is being made with the environment in mind, as plastic bags do not readily decompose — whether they are in a trash heap or on someone’s front lawn.

"They wind up in landfills and will be there for hundreds of years," the councilman said, adding the break down for the petroleum-based bags is a "minimum of 100 years — some people say as much as 1,000 years."

Thomas said he was unaware of the longevity.

"I didn’t know that it took that long for them to break down," he said shaking his head.

DiCicco’s bill is not the only environmentally friendly proposition on the table. Councilman-at-Large James Kenney is proposing a ban on polystyrene foam — known to most as Styrofoam — throughout the city.

According to Council’s Web site, Kenney’s bill "prohibits the use of disposable food serviceware that contains polystyrene foam" and "requires the use of biodegradable/compostable or recyclable disposable food serviceware by food vendors, city facility food providers, city departments and city contractors and lessees unless there is no affordable alternative."

Kenney did not return calls by press time to elaborate on the bill.

DiCicco’s bill zeros in on supermarkets with gross sales of $2 million or more, as well as pharmacies with at least five city locations under the same ownership and large convenience store chains, like Target and Wal-Mart, or corporations or companies whose gross exceeds the above sales mark. Smaller businesses are exempt from the ban, at least for now, DiCicco said.

"At some point in time, my recommendation is to ban all plastic bags and bottles and anything not decomposable in the City of Philadelphia," he said, adding mom-and-pop stores may have to eventually comply, but for now many are not financially able to make such a drastic change.

If passed, within six months those falling under the ban must offer customers recyclable paper, decomposable plastic or reusable bags, like those made from canvas or cloth. Violators would be fined $100 on the first offense, increasing to $500 if a third offense is committed in a single year.

Marie Buck, owner of Marie’s Grocery on Sixth and Titan streets, is one business owner that escapes the repercussions, although she is conscious about what she hands to customers.

"We use both paper and plastic bags. You’d be surprised how many children ask for plastic," she said of students who buy lunches and prefer the handles and durability offered by plastic.

Buck said paper rips easily under heavy weight — and is usually given out to customers buying small items like candy — but habit leads her to grab it first. In fact, the shop added plastic only last year, when patrons wanted it for its convenience.

"But I do recycle [the plastic bags]," she said, referring to customers who bring plastic back on their next visit, which she reuses around paper bags for other shoppers.

Seymour Steinberg of Fifth Street and Oregon said paper is his preference, but oftentimes he is hard pressed to get it at big supermarkets.

"There’s no reason why you have to ask for a paper bag when they’ve got pallets of them in the back," he said. "My vote is to ban [plastic bags]. You can get more in [paper bags] and, when you’re on the bus, it’s easier to carry."

DiCicco is mindful of Mother Earth when it comes to the ban.

"One of the biggest issues confronting the world today is our environment," he said. "The petroleum in bags created a further reliance on oil. Eighty million dollars a year is required to produce 380 billion plastic bags annually in this country alone. They contribute to blight and trash in our communities; they wind up in sewer systems, streams, rivers and oceans."

According to nonprofit Earth Resource Foundation’s Web site, products using styrene, which is found in polystyrene foam, has toxic chemicals that may seep out, especially when heated. These products also are made of petroleum and can contain greenhouse gases that deplete the ozone layer.

A move away from polystyrene foam could give new meaning to takeout and doggie bags, but with Kenney’s proposal plastic may take over the job.

Chris Schulz, owner of Chubby’s Pizzeria & Grill at 2240 S. 11th St., said his business goes through about 1,000 foam containers a month. The three-by-seven- and nine-by-nine-inch boxes are mainly for chicken, wings and platters. Banning these would mean a rise in costs for the shop, and it may trickle down to the customer, Schulz said.

"It would be a lot more expensive — almost triple the price," he said of the replacements, "but we could deal with it, it’s not that big of an issue. It could be worse."

Currently, the bills are slated for committee and, after a public hearing — which may be before the end of the year — the committee will take recommendations and vote. Their decision will determine whether or not the bills go before council.

So far, DiCicco has heard no complaints from retailers or consumers, but rather praise for what he’s doing.

"I don’t know about cost," DiCicco said of any major financial obstacles supermarkets might face. "Although I did get a call from a woman at Acme who said they were open to it and looking to do it anyway. I’ve gotten all positive feedback.

"This is the first step to educating the public about the environmental problems related to [the public]. Trash is blight, and blight creates a problem."