* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL
Introduced by: Councilmember Clarke
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
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Carryout Plastic Bag Waste - Department of Public Works Study
FOR the purpose of calling on the Department of Public Works to study the amount of waste generated due to the use of plastic carryout bags, and the environmental impact of carryout plastic bag use, in Baltimore and to report the results of this study to the City Council by a specified date.
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Recitals
There is increasing awareness, both nationally and in Baltimore, that plastic carryout bags can have serious impacts on the environment. Nationwide, these bags are rarely recycled and therefore disproportionately enter the waste stream as either trash or litter. Since plastic bags generally do not biodegrade, they therefore have a tendency to linger - clogging landfills when collected as trash and becoming a permanent part of the landscape when released as litter.
Littered plastic carryout bags are not only unsightly, they also can create more significant problems. Substantial resources must be expended in clean-up efforts to clear bags from streets, streams, and parks. When not collected, plastic bags can contribute to urban blight by filling vacant lots or float downstream to pollute marine habitats and harm wildlife. Plastic carryout bags also have a tendency to enter storm drains where they can cause serious clogging that undermines the effectiveness of cit...
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