The City of Moncton has become the first of the tri-communities to consider a bylaw banning single-use plastic bags.
City Council unanimously passed first reading of the bylaw Monday night.
Mayor Dawn Arnold says the issue is much larger than this region alone.
“Hopefully it will become provincial very soon. I know at the recent Southeast Regional Service Commission, there was a notice of motion to remove plastic straws. So I think this is part of a much larger conversation that is going on around the world,” notes Arnold.
The councils of Dieppe and Riverview will also be be considering the same bylaw later this month.
If adopted, the bylaw would require businesses to supply paper bags at the checkout at a cost to its customers.
Some exemptions would include plastic bags which are used for dry cleaning, tires, seafood, produce, candy, small hardware items and flowers.
