The campus bookstore and the Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli no longer offer plastic bags to customers at checkout as of Jan. 1.
Anne Arundel County enacted the Bring Your Own Bag Plastic Reduction Act in January, barring most retailers from using plastic bags. Starting Feb. 1, stores must charge at least 10 cents for paper bags if they choose to offer them.
But pharmacies and restaurants, like Subway and Chick-fil-A, may continue using plastic bags and packing orders in paper bags for free.
The Hawk’s Nest, a restaurant, is not required to stop using plastic bags, but managers there have chosen to stop using all bags, according to employee Chanel Ellis.
“I think everyone understands what the county’s trying to do with trying to eliminate plastic waste,” Christopher Walsh, manager of the AACC bookstore, said. “We’re a little concerned about the environment for the younger generation, you know, that we have just done some crazy things with it.”
Annapolis, because it is a city with its own government, has not adopted the county’s bag ban.
Julie Hummer, a county councilmember and one of the act’s sponsors, said several nearby counties have their own bag bans.
“It’s a way to reduce the amount of plastic that we have out there,” Hummer said. “The neighboring counties around us have the same thing … so we’re not alone. And we’re kind of just catching up with other areas … on this.”
Workers at the bookstore agreed the Plastic Reduction Act will be good for the environment.
“I think it’s for the better,” Sarah Preis, the bookstore’s assistant manager, said. “It’s certainly needed to be able to keep our environment, you know, try not to lose the environment too quickly. So I don’t mind it. I’m a person that always has the little tote bags in my car to go to the grocery store anyway.”
Haille Treadaway, a first-year American Sign Language student, said getting rid of plastic bags is better for the environment.
“Frankly, I think it’s been a long time coming,” Treadaway said. “I’m very happy that the county decided to get rid of them, especially for taking care of the environment.”