Credit: Brian Yurasits / Unsplash.com
The enforcement will go into effect on Nov. 1, 2025.
The Whitpain Township ordinance limiting single-use plastics was voted into law at the recent supervisors’ meeting, meaning that area businesses within the Township can no longer offer one-time-use, disposable plastic bags and other unnecessary materials harmful to the environment.
But you won’t need to rush out to purchase reusable bags immediately, as the supervisors have opted to give the community and its business owners, a full year before penalties will be issued.
As previewed by Wissahickon Now ahead of the meeting, the popular option to eliminate single-use plastics was supported by the public, as many came to the meetings to voice support for the option. The consequences for the new ordinance will not be enforced until Nov. 1, 2025.
The Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors adopted the ordinance to limit single-use plastics at its public meeting on Oct. 15. The public was invited to attend and to speak at the sessions not only at the vote, but at several public meeting sessions prior to the consideration.
According to the Whitpain Wire, the township’s newsletter, the board of supervisors will consider the adoption of the ordinance tonight. Such a change would primarily limit the use of single-use plastic bags at all businesses in the township.
As previously reported by Wissahickon Now here, the township has already heard a plethora of public commentary, largely in favor of the option. Nearby Upper Dublin Township has also adopted a similar ordinance. After a six-month soft launch, the township’s Board of Commissioners began enforcing its township’s ban in early September.
The fully adopted ordinance can be read in its entirety here. The ordinance creates a new “Chapter 115,” which says that its aim is to “reduce the use of single-use plastic bags, expanded polystyrene food service products, and single-use plastic utensils” offered by any retail location in the township.
It also notes the ordinance’s goals as curtailing litter, reducing waste, promoting the use of reusable items, reduce landfill levels, and preservation of the environment among its aspirations.
The ordinance states that it will not include some perishable items or point-of-sale pieces, such as produce bags, raw meat bags, live animal bags for fish or similar purchases, bags sold and packaged by a manufacturer (i.e. trash bags, sandwich bags, etc.), newspaper bags, and garment bags.
Retail food and beverage establishments will be required to stop the use of any Styrofoam products, such as food containers, plates, cups, trays, etc. It will also enforce that all retail locations stop the use of single-use plastic utensils, except upon request of a customer.
Most all of the changes will occur over the coming year, now that the ordinance has passed. There will be an “effective date,” which then allows for a full calendar year afterward before the township will begin penalizing businesses for infractions, of Nov. 1, 2025. Enforcement will be the responsibility of the board of supervisors, and will include violation punishments of:
*A written warning on first offense (with a 30-day grace period before a second can be issued)
The ordinance also states that the township may add penalties for attorneys’ fees and the cost of enforcement should they seem it necessary.
The board meets the first and third Tuesday of each month, and meetings are open to the public. The meetings are held at the Whitpain Township Administration Building at 960 Wentz Road, Blue Bell. To email the board your input on upcoming actions, email supervisors@whitpaintownship.org.
