Glen Ellyn panel presses pause on suggested bag fee

A plan to require some Glen Ellyn retailers to charge customers a fee of at least 5 cents per disposable bag used at checkout has been put on hold.

Complaints from residents and business people about the proposed ordinance has convinced members of the village's environmental commission to delay any presentation to the village board.

The proposed fee would apply to both paper and plastic bags, but some materials would be exempt, such as bags used before the point of sale to wrap flowers.

The ordinance would apply to retailers, convenience stores and grocers, but not to restaurants, “temporary vending establishments,” or vendors at farmers markets, garage sales or other temporary events.

The money collected from the suggested fee would go back to the stores.

Environmental commission Chairman Adam Kreuzer said the idea came from area elementary school students who asked the village to address the environmental impact of plastic bags.

The students' letters were forwarded to the commission, which was asked to look into the matter, Kreuzer said.

Although the ordinance was supposed to be discussed at a February village board workshop, Kreuzer said he asked to postpone the presentation after getting negative feedback at a meeting earlier this month.

“Generally speaking, what we heard was that there was a concern about the inclusion of paper bags in the ordinance ... and there was concern about having to pay five cents for the bags,” Kreuzer said.

Although some who attended the commission's information session were worried about the environmental impact of bags, Kreuzer said others were more concerned about “government intrusion on their lives.”

Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike Formento said his group suggested the commission conduct a survey to determine how many merchants use plastic bags, or to create a resolution that would seek voluntary support from merchants instead of an ordinance.

“We have to always remember that every merchant wants (his or her) bag filled with customers' material walking up and down the street advertising their business,” Formento said.

Kreuzer said the suggested ordinance is just one method among many the commission is looking at to address “the public's concern about the indiscriminate use of plastic bags.”

He said the topic will be discussed again at the commission's Feb. 17 meeting.