The City of Salisbury “Comprehensive Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance” went into effect on July 1, 2023. This legislation banned plastic carryout bags and required all businesses to charge customers 10 cents for each paper or reusable carryout bag provided.
The City Council is revisiting this ordinance and exploring amending it to exempt restaurants from the bag fee. At the Council’s last work session, they were split on how to provide this exemption. Some members wanted a complete restaurant fee exemption, while others only wanted to provide it for quick-service restaurants.
RAM submitted comments prior to the work session asking for a restaurant industry exemption from the bag fee, but the Council wants to hear from restaurant operators.
If you have concerns about this proposal and agree that ALL food service establishments should be exempt from the fee, the City Council needs to hear directly from YOU.
You can contact the entire Council by emailing them at: allcitycouncilmembers@salisbury.md
Time is of the essence, the Council may consider amendments to this legislation as early as Monday, August 14th.
Below are some concerns you could bring up with them:
- Potential for cross contamination if a customer brings a reusable bag to avoid the fee. A restaurant doesn’t know if the bag has been sanitized properly from prior use.
- Complications over charging the 10-cent fee for paper bags. — i.e., charging for bags on third-party delivery platforms (Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash, etc.)
- For dine-in customers who decide they want a “doggie bag” for leftovers after they’ve already paid the check, it would be impossible for a restaurant to subsequently charge for the bag. And if the restaurant did reopen a check only to charge a required bag fee, it would give the impression that they are nickel and diming their customers.
If you have any questions about this proposed legislation, please contact Brendan Mahoney (443-752-2899, bmahoney@marylandrestaurants.com) or Melvin Thompson (443-539-2455, mthompson@marylandrestaurants.com) in the RAM office.
