Proposed ordinance would expand existing bag ban to include Styrofoam containers, thicker plastic bags
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Beaufort County Council approved first reading Monday night, May 11, of a proposed expansion of the county’s plastic bag ordinance in a narrow 6-5 vote following lengthy debate over environmental impacts, government regulation and costs to businesses.
The proposal would expand Beaufort County’s existing 2018 single-use plastic bag ordinance to ban thicker plastic carryout bags often marketed as reusable bags, prohibit Styrofoam food service containers and limit the automatic distribution of plastic straws and utensils.
Council members Thomas Reitz, Mark Lawson, Logan Cunningham, Paula Brown and David Bartholomew voted against the measure.
Under the proposed changes, businesses would still be allowed to provide plastic straws and plastic cutlery, but only if requested by customers, offered through self-service stations or provided after staff asks whether customers want them.
Beaufort County first adopted its single-use plastic bag ordinance in 2018 as part of a broader regional effort among several Lowcountry municipalities to reduce plastic waste, litter and stormwater issues.
County officials said thicker plastic bags marketed as reusable alternatives became increasingly common after the original ordinance took effect, leading to discussions about expanding the ordinance.
The proposal would also prohibit expanded polystyrene foam products commonly referred to as Styrofoam, including takeout containers, cups, plates, trays and bowls.
County staff said the products are not recyclable through Beaufort County’s system and contribute to landfill waste, litter and environmental concerns.
Years of study and outreach
County planning staff told council the proposal was the result of nearly two years of research, outreach and public input after the county’s Natural Resources Committee directed staff in 2024 to study possible updates to the existing plastic bag ordinance.
Rob Merchant, Beaufort County’s director of planning and zoning, said staff intentionally slowed the process to gather feedback from municipalities, businesses and residents before bringing recommendations forward.
“We took it slow, and I think that we benefited from that,” Merchant said during Monday’s presentation.
Merchant said the proposal attempts to address several issues simultaneously, including litter, landfill capacity, stormwater infrastructure and microplastics entering local waterways and shellfish habitats.
Environmental Long Range Planner Juliana Zadik told council more than 6,200 survey responses were collected during the county’s outreach process, which included presentations to municipalities, regional planning groups and community organizations.
The ordinance includes several exemptions.
Styrofoam packaging used for unprepared foods such as meat, eggs and produce would remain allowed, along with products purchased or packaged outside Beaufort County before being sold locally.
Paper food containers with plastic linings or windows would also be exempt.
Nonprofit organizations affiliated with schools, religious groups and humanitarian organizations would also be exempt, along with organizations providing emergency services during declared emergencies.
Concerns over regulation and enforcement
Despite the proposal advancing, several council members voiced concerns about what they described as government overreach and questioned whether the ordinance would meaningfully address litter problems.
Lawson said many of the plastic items most commonly found along roads and waterways, including plastic drink bottles, would remain unaffected by the ordinance.
“So I think this is being over-regulated, so I’m going to vote against it,” Lawson said. “It’s not because I’m not a green person.”
Lawson also praised county staff for their work on the proposal while maintaining his opposition to additional regulations.
Cunningham said he shared many of the same concerns as Lawson and questioned inconsistencies in what Styrofoam products would and would not be banned under the proposal.
County staff responded that the ordinance was designed to target disposable food service products most likely to become litter while exempting products tied to food safety requirements, construction uses and packaged retail goods.
If ultimately adopted, the ordinance would not take effect immediately.
Instead, implementation would begin eight months after adoption and only if every municipality wholly within Beaufort County adopts the same or a substantially similar ordinance.
The City of Beaufort has already begun moving forward with similar ordinance amendments as part of the regional effort to maintain consistency between participating municipalities.
The proposal must still go through additional readings and a public hearing before final approval.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.