It’s been suggested City Council consider banning the use of plastic shopping bags in our community.

  At the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce meeting yesterday Councilor Karen McKinnon who made the suggestion said the bags leave quite a mess at the landfill and add to litter.  She says many northern communities have already banned them.

Chamber President Dianne Russell says this is only in the initial stages and the Chamber doesn’t have an official position.  Denare Beach Mayor Carl Lentowicz says our three communities should get together on this decision.  He agrees they spread at the landfill and it’s costly to clean them up.  Co-op Manager Tom Therien says plastic bags are much cheaper than paper adding he could do without plastic but at the Co-op it would be a Board decision.  He says they pay people to bring their own bags and have kept more than 60 thousand plastic bags out of the landfill.

  Other members suggested making reusable bags that will fold to fit into a woman’s purse or easier to keep with you so you don’t forget, you will upset some of your customers who don’t bring bags, people may hesitate to change, there are biodegradable plastic bags available and there may be a way to recycle present plastic bags.