Maui Plastic Bag Ban Solutions Emerge

By Sonia Isotov

Maui stores and restaurants have stopped giving plastic bags out as of January 11, and businesses are already finding creative ways to address the ban.

According to the Maui Chamber website, these are some of the different ways that Maui businesses are addressing the ban, including:

• Providing paper bags for free
• Providing paper bags for a charge
• Only offering reusable bags for a sale and leaving customers to cart purchases out if they do not purchase a reusable bag
• Offering reusable bags for sale or the option of a free brown paper bag
• Providing purchase discounts when the customers bring in their own bag
• Creating a promotional program; for instance, bring in your own bags with each visit and get a stamp per visit with an award
• Providing take-out only in containers
• Providing take-out in containers and paper bags which might still leak and leak through the paper
• Providing improved take-out containers that better prevent against leaks

Maui Chamber and businesses are concerned that visitors especially do not have a “bad” shopping or restaurant experience as a result of the ban, and asks the public and businesses to help spread the word to curb backlash!

The Plastic Bag Ban went into effect January 11, 2011 when Mayor Arakawa signed the rules, which will take effect as of January 21, 2011. Businesses have until then to make adjustments and find solutions.