What do you think? TAKE THE SURVEY: https://forms.gle/3DpoBhCUTZqH2oDL8
Comments:
This is especially hard for our senior community. Also, educate yourselves on the flip side of this over reaching effort.
I agree with the ban but I am not crazy about people bringing in their own (and I have seen filthy) dirty bags from home that are stored in the trunk, under the car seat, etc. and putting them on the belt or area where others load their food. Really, who knows where they have been or what else thay have been used for? The Biz should supply paper bags and fold the cost into their pricing.
To ban them is best because as long as things are handed out for free people will continue to take them. Not everyone is like me and will do it because I want to.
Against any/all virtue signaling legislation that promises to make a difference, but in actuality does not significantly change anything in the environment. Local politicians were not elected for this; help fix our roads and lower our taxes please.
Reusable bags are unsanitary when used for groceries. If I’m going to wash them, I am going to wash them in a new, separate laundry load, not with clothing or bed sheets. So that’s additional detergent, water and electric use. We do reuse the current plastic bags for trash and pet waste disposal. If we don’t have them to reuse, then we will have to purchase Hefty or Glad bags for those uses, which are typically a heavy gauge, more environmentally unfriendly plastic.
Another good reason to shop outside of Newtown.
Yes, absolutely. We have to take big steps if we are going to reduce the waste that is rampant in our country. I live in LMT and i would hope that, if Newtown does this, then we wont be far behind.
Virtue signaling at its core.
Stop dictating and let people decide if they want a bag/straw/whatever. Government has become too controlling.
Not only do plastics take a long time to break but some break down into toxic chemicals they originated from. In addition, oil based plastic polymers account for about 1/3 of all the oil pumped out of the ground. Experience from a retired biochemist.
Government has become too controlling.
Aside from mentioning qualifications regarding their choices, many respondents also expressed opposition to any restart of the sewer treatment plant as a reason.
At the 11 June 2025 BOS meeting, the Chair and the Township Manager made the argument that "we [the CURRENT BOS] issued a letter to the sewer authority saying that the township vehemently opposes any construction of a sewer plant. For the sewer plant to even happen would would require this board [emphasis added] to authorize the township engineer to amend the act 537 plan to include a sewage treatment plant. So until this board [emphasis added] does that, there's no forward progress with this."
The problem is that "this board" will not be the same after the 2025 election. Two new Supervisors will be elected to replace John Mack and Dennis Fisher whose terms will expire on 31 December 2025. Who's to say that the new BOS will not rescind the aforementioned letter and vote to amend Act 537 [The Pennsylvania Sewer Facilities Act]? You have to ask yourself: Why would the Sewer Authority undertake this if it did not believe Act 537 would be amended? Did the Newtown representatives on the Sewer Authority Board assure them that would be the case?
It is imperative, therefore, that we appoint someone who has expressed opposition to the sewer treatment plant. I agree with the majority of survey respondents; i.e, that person is Marc Bjorkman, who has publicly (and privately to me) expressed his opposition to the sewer treatment plant. I spoke with Craig Deutsch who refused to say that he is outright opposed to such a plant in Newtown.
In addition, Mr. Deutsch already serves on 3 Newtown commissions. While I appreciate his service to the community. naming him for another position while rejecting a new volunteer is just the wrong optic that sends the message: "we appoint only our friends."