Tewksbury Considers Repealing Plastic Bag Ban

TEWKSBURY (CBS) - Just a month after banning plastic bags, one town is considering bringing them back. That town is Tewksbury.

When Town Meeting opens Monday night, they'll have to decide whether to repeal the plastic bag ban. That's going to be a big debate and everybody has an opinion.

"I don't like the ban and I like plastic because it's easier for me to carry," one woman said.

"I don't think we should have plastic," another woman said. "I think it's really bad for the environment, the oceans, and I think paper is good."

Just two of the opposing comments we heard outside the two Market Basket stores in Tewksbury.

"There's too much plastic in this world," a woman said.

"I don't mind the plastic bags if they allow it it's fine with me," a man said. "I just hate paper bags."

Two more shoppers weighing in.

Monday's town meeting has the daunting task of deciding which of those ways to go. There's an article before the body that would repeal the plastic bag ban the same town meeting passed at the end of last year. The ban has only been in effect for a month.

Which side you're on comes down to what you believe. Is a bag ban good for the environment or is it just not worth the effort? Do you bring your own bag or get a paper bag even though they don't have handles?

"I think it's inconvenient for people. I understand it's good for the environment, but if they'd just add a handle to the bags it would be better," says one shopper.

Tewksbury had joined the nearly 100 Mass. cities and towns that banned plastic bags, now it has to decide whether to take that back.

The two biggest complaints we heard: no handles on the paper bags so they're harder to carry, and forgetting to take reusable bags out of the car.

Tewksbury Town Meeting kicks off tonight at 7:30pm Monday night.

This article is far down on the agenda, but it's possible they will take it out of order. In addition, Tewksbury has an open town meeting, which means any resident can attend and vote.