Tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, is D-day for plastic shopping bags, with the Plastic Shopping Bag Ban (PSBB) law set to go into effect. According to a press release from the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (AS-EPA), "Starting on this day, all business establishments are prohibited from giving or selling plastic shopping bags to consumers.
This includes places where goods, food, food products, ware or products are offered to the public for sale or lease including markets, grocery, and retail merchandise stores.
It also includes anyplace where food is prepared, mixed, cooked, baked, smoked, preserved, bottled, packaged, handled, stored, manufactured, and sold or offered for sale including restaurants, dining establishments, fast food businesses, road-side food sales and farmers markets."
The AS-EPA further notifies all businesses affected by the law that while it is appreciative of their efforts to "secure their own biodegradable plastic bags, these bags must be approved by AS-EPA to ensure compliance with laws and regulations set forth by the Fono."
The agency says that under the current PSBB law, "the only plastic bags allowable are those that meet ASTM (American Society for Testing and Material) International Standard D6400 and those made from non-petroleum-based biodegradable plastic such as cellulose based or other substances that microorganisms can break down into carbon dioxide, water, or compost (humus) with no generated products (final or immediate) being detrimental to public health"
AS-EPA says that the specification of the bags must be provided "for our review to ensure compliance with the required standards."
"On February 23, 2011, all business establishments with plastic bags that have not been submitted for AS-EPA's review and approval will be served with a Stop Order Notice, cited, or have the bags seized," AS-EPA stated.
The American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (AS-EPA), along with the Department of Commerce and the Department of Public Safety are designated and authorized to enforce the provisions of this law on its effective date, according to the PSBB law.
According to AS-EPA Director, Fanuatele Dr. T. Vaiaga'e, in the long term this law will hopefully be the first of many to change our behavior towards the environment and reduce our dependency on plastic non-biodegradable material.
AS-EPA would like to thank the business community and the public for their cooperation and patience as the transition away from the old plastic shopping bags into alternative bags that are environmentally friendly occurs. For more information, please contact AS-EPA at 633 2304 or visit our website: http://www.asepa.gov"www.asepa.gov.
Samoa News spoke with several shop owners who currently use plastic bags at their place of business, to find out what they thought about the ban, and how the ban was going to affect them. They all asked to not be identified.
The majority of the storeowners thought the ban was a good idea, but were concerned with the high cost of buying biodegradable bags for their customers. They also mentioned that they don't know what to do with all of the plastic bags they now have which will be leftover, once the law goes into effect.
"I am for the plastic bag ban, but I know it is going to cost me a lot more money to buy the biodegradable bags, than the regular plastic bags that I am using now. I don't even know where to get them from, and the ban starts next week," said one west side shop owner.
Another said, "I didn't even know anything about this ban, until today. How are my customers going to carry their groceries home? The majority of the people that shop, don't have cars. They either walk, or ride the buses. I think the ban of the plastic bags is great, but I will be forced to raise my prices, just to cover the cost of the biodegradable bags, or paper bags," one shop owner from Tafuna explained.
An Utulei shopkeeper was not too happy about the ban. "I think it's a bad idea. My customers come here everyday, and purchase a lot of items, and are expecting a bag to put them in. I guess I will have to switch to boxes for my customers. It is just going to hurt almost every business here in American Samoa that deals with plastic bags. Most stores will not have enough time to make that transition, from the bags that we are using now, to whatever else is being proposed for use," the shopkeeper complained.
One storeowner commented on how he is just able to keep his head above water, and now with the plastic ban going into affect next week, he might just have to shut down. "This is going to change everything. A lot of people are going to stop shopping at my store. How are they going to carry their stuff? If the other type bags are going to cost a lot more money to use, that means that I will be forced to raise my prices. I am all for cleaning up the environment, but the problem is not with the stores. The government has to step in, and start giving out fines to those who throw their trash, like plastic bags, everywhere," said an east side storeowner.
The Act Prohibiting Supplying of Plastic Bags To Consumers passed during the 31st Legislature of American Samoa, gained national and worldwide recognition for being the first U.S. Territory to ban plastic shopping bags, as well as one the first states to enact state legislation. Its passage was especially historic, in light of California rejecting the ban.
While many were involved in pushing the passage of the bill, including Gov. Togiola Tulafono, the Department of Marine and Wildlife, and Rep. Larry Sanitoa- the ASEPA and Rep. Taotasi Archie Soliai were the recipients of prestigious environmental awards from the federal government.
In a special ceremony held at the historic Union Station in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 2, 2010, Taotasi and ASEPA were among the ‘environmental heroes' honored during the 12th Annual Environmental Awards for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Pacific Southwest region which includes California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.
Taotasi and ASEPA are being called "Zero Waste Advocates" for American Samoa and are being recognized for their work on banning plastic bags
In announcing the award for Taotasi and ASEPA, the USEPA said in a statement that it applauds the governor, ASEPA, the legislature and America Samoa residents "for enacting restrictions banning plastic shopping bags - reducing their waste and protecting the environment in a single action."
American Samoa is not only the first U.S. Territory to ban plastic shopping bags, but one of the first states to enact state or territory-wide legislation," said USEPA.
"American Samoa's leadership in the Pacific islands to ban plastic shopping bags will decrease the amount of plastic waste in the territory and directly protect marine and bird life in the Pacific."
Given the fact that the law has been established to protect the environment, most people who spoke to Samoa News were in favor of it, but are still working out how they will be able to comply with the law, and keep costs down at the same time. Suggestions for alternatives to plastic bags have been noted in an AS-EPA ad - paper bags, cloth bags, bio-degrable bags and woven baskets are all listed.
Source :www.samoanews.com
Notice : "Leave your comments here because the author took your advice and criticism for the better future of this Blog"
This includes places where goods, food, food products, ware or products are offered to the public for sale or lease including markets, grocery, and retail merchandise stores.
It also includes anyplace where food is prepared, mixed, cooked, baked, smoked, preserved, bottled, packaged, handled, stored, manufactured, and sold or offered for sale including restaurants, dining establishments, fast food businesses, road-side food sales and farmers markets."
The AS-EPA further notifies all businesses affected by the law that while it is appreciative of their efforts to "secure their own biodegradable plastic bags, these bags must be approved by AS-EPA to ensure compliance with laws and regulations set forth by the Fono."
The agency says that under the current PSBB law, "the only plastic bags allowable are those that meet ASTM (American Society for Testing and Material) International Standard D6400 and those made from non-petroleum-based biodegradable plastic such as cellulose based or other substances that microorganisms can break down into carbon dioxide, water, or compost (humus) with no generated products (final or immediate) being detrimental to public health"
AS-EPA says that the specification of the bags must be provided "for our review to ensure compliance with the required standards."
"On February 23, 2011, all business establishments with plastic bags that have not been submitted for AS-EPA's review and approval will be served with a Stop Order Notice, cited, or have the bags seized," AS-EPA stated.
The American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (AS-EPA), along with the Department of Commerce and the Department of Public Safety are designated and authorized to enforce the provisions of this law on its effective date, according to the PSBB law.
According to AS-EPA Director, Fanuatele Dr. T. Vaiaga'e, in the long term this law will hopefully be the first of many to change our behavior towards the environment and reduce our dependency on plastic non-biodegradable material.
AS-EPA would like to thank the business community and the public for their cooperation and patience as the transition away from the old plastic shopping bags into alternative bags that are environmentally friendly occurs. For more information, please contact AS-EPA at 633 2304 or visit our website: http://www.asepa.gov"www.asepa.gov.
Samoa News spoke with several shop owners who currently use plastic bags at their place of business, to find out what they thought about the ban, and how the ban was going to affect them. They all asked to not be identified.
The majority of the storeowners thought the ban was a good idea, but were concerned with the high cost of buying biodegradable bags for their customers. They also mentioned that they don't know what to do with all of the plastic bags they now have which will be leftover, once the law goes into effect.
"I am for the plastic bag ban, but I know it is going to cost me a lot more money to buy the biodegradable bags, than the regular plastic bags that I am using now. I don't even know where to get them from, and the ban starts next week," said one west side shop owner.
Another said, "I didn't even know anything about this ban, until today. How are my customers going to carry their groceries home? The majority of the people that shop, don't have cars. They either walk, or ride the buses. I think the ban of the plastic bags is great, but I will be forced to raise my prices, just to cover the cost of the biodegradable bags, or paper bags," one shop owner from Tafuna explained.
An Utulei shopkeeper was not too happy about the ban. "I think it's a bad idea. My customers come here everyday, and purchase a lot of items, and are expecting a bag to put them in. I guess I will have to switch to boxes for my customers. It is just going to hurt almost every business here in American Samoa that deals with plastic bags. Most stores will not have enough time to make that transition, from the bags that we are using now, to whatever else is being proposed for use," the shopkeeper complained.
One storeowner commented on how he is just able to keep his head above water, and now with the plastic ban going into affect next week, he might just have to shut down. "This is going to change everything. A lot of people are going to stop shopping at my store. How are they going to carry their stuff? If the other type bags are going to cost a lot more money to use, that means that I will be forced to raise my prices. I am all for cleaning up the environment, but the problem is not with the stores. The government has to step in, and start giving out fines to those who throw their trash, like plastic bags, everywhere," said an east side storeowner.
The Act Prohibiting Supplying of Plastic Bags To Consumers passed during the 31st Legislature of American Samoa, gained national and worldwide recognition for being the first U.S. Territory to ban plastic shopping bags, as well as one the first states to enact state legislation. Its passage was especially historic, in light of California rejecting the ban.
While many were involved in pushing the passage of the bill, including Gov. Togiola Tulafono, the Department of Marine and Wildlife, and Rep. Larry Sanitoa- the ASEPA and Rep. Taotasi Archie Soliai were the recipients of prestigious environmental awards from the federal government.
In a special ceremony held at the historic Union Station in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 2, 2010, Taotasi and ASEPA were among the ‘environmental heroes' honored during the 12th Annual Environmental Awards for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Pacific Southwest region which includes California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.
Taotasi and ASEPA are being called "Zero Waste Advocates" for American Samoa and are being recognized for their work on banning plastic bags
In announcing the award for Taotasi and ASEPA, the USEPA said in a statement that it applauds the governor, ASEPA, the legislature and America Samoa residents "for enacting restrictions banning plastic shopping bags - reducing their waste and protecting the environment in a single action."
American Samoa is not only the first U.S. Territory to ban plastic shopping bags, but one of the first states to enact state or territory-wide legislation," said USEPA.
"American Samoa's leadership in the Pacific islands to ban plastic shopping bags will decrease the amount of plastic waste in the territory and directly protect marine and bird life in the Pacific."
Given the fact that the law has been established to protect the environment, most people who spoke to Samoa News were in favor of it, but are still working out how they will be able to comply with the law, and keep costs down at the same time. Suggestions for alternatives to plastic bags have been noted in an AS-EPA ad - paper bags, cloth bags, bio-degrable bags and woven baskets are all listed.
Source :www.samoanews.com
Notice : "Leave your comments here because the author took your advice and criticism for the better future of this Blog"
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