Wildlife Over Waste

Victory! Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County banned plastic bags

On April 27, Montgomery County’s Cheltenham Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to ban the distribution of single-use plastic bags within the Township. Cheltenham becomes the first municipality in Pennsylvania to tackle plastic bags in 2023 and the 16th overall.

PennEnvironment estimates that over 13.7 million single-use plastic bags are used by township residents EVERY YEAR, and that the new ordinance could help reduce over 75 tons of plastic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills, incinerators, or littering our environment.

The Board of Commissioners also included a $0.10 fee for paper or other bags that stores give out to customers. This is meant to encourage residents to bring their own reusable bags and cut down on trash, and matches the highest fee for other bags in the state. The ban goes into effect on January 1, 2024, though retailers will have an additional 90 days after that to get into compliance.

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