Baltimore County is giving away reusable bags as the county’s ban on single-use plastic bags is set to begin in just over a month.
In February 2023, Baltimore County signed a “Bring Your Own Bag” bill into law, which will go into effect Nov. 1. The bipartisan law, also called the “BYO Bag” law, is intended to reduce the use of single-use plastic.
To help residents prepare, Baltimore County is distributing free reusable bags at community sites around the county.
Grocery stores, restaurants, and certain other businesses will no longer give out single-use plastic bags. Instead, customers will either be charged 5 cents for a paper bag during checkout, or they may bring their own bags.
“[S]mall retail establishments or mom-and-pop shops, are not required to follow the ban, with exceptions,” reported WBAL TV last February. There is a 90-day grace period once the law takes effect.
There’s debate about the efficacy and environmental impact of banning plastic bags in favor of paper and/or reusable bags. According to CNN.com, “Plastic bags do not biodegrade and only 10% of them are ever recycled, according to the EPA. When bags are mistakenly placed in traditional recycling bins, they can escape into the environment or jam recycling equipment at material recovery facilities. Paper bags, on the other hand, are more easily recycled than plastic bags and are biodegradable, but some states and cities have moved to ban them because they are carbon-intensive to produce.”
CNN.com cites Judith Enck, a former Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator and current president of Beyond Plastics, a nonprofit organization working to end pollution caused by single-use plastics. Enck said, “The ideal bag law bans plastic and adds a fee to paper.”
That’s exactly what Baltimore County’s law does.
Food inflation has not eased with the rest of the economy, however, and Baltimore County is making efforts to help low-income residents of Baltimore County concerned about being charged for paper or reusable bags. According to the county’s website, “Baltimore County is providing bags directly to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infant and Children (WIC) households.”
Erica Palmisano, press secretary for Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, confirmed in an email to Baltimore Fishbowl that SNAP and WIC recipients are entitled to two free reusable bags per person, while those not in those programs can receive one free bag per person.
The free reusable bags are available at all Baltimore County Public Libraries, county senior centers, and will be handed out at community pop-up events throughout the county.
Bags will be available from Baltimore County government on the following dates and locations:
Catonsville Farmers Market (Sundays, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
Location: 15 Mellor Ave, Catonsville, 21228
- October 8
- October 22
Essex Farmers Market (Fridays, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.)
Location: 500-block of Maryland Ave, Essex, 21221
- Friday, October 6
- Friday, October 20
Towson Farmers Market (Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
Location: Allegheny Ave, Towson, 21204
- October 5
- October 12
Pikesville Farmers Market (Tuesdays, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
Location: 1700 Reisterstown Rd, Pikesville 21208
- October 10
- October 24
Bags at these events are limited to one per person, (two bags per person for people on SNAP/WIC) and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
