N.C. retailers hurry to prepare for bag ban

As the busy tourist season winds down, Outer Banks merchants are hustling to comply with the plastic-bag ban that goes into effect Sept. 1.

"We've been trying to get ready, but it's going to be really tight," said Wes Gutekunst, Kitty Hawk Kites marketing director. "As much as we support that it's going to happen, it did happen quickly."

Legislation banning plastic bags was signed by the governor in June. Retailers larger than 5,000 square feet and stores with five or more outlets in the state would be required to use paper bags with 100 percent recycled content or reusable shopping bags in place of the thin plastic bags.

Customers who bring their own bags will be offered a refund, a coupon, store loyalty points or credit equal to the cost of the paper bag. The refund does not apply to prepared foods.

Kitty Hawk Kites, which sells tourist items as well as kites in its 10 stores on the barrier islands, will probably ship its unused biodegradeable plastic bags to its stores in Florida, Gutekunst said. The company already has reusable bags for sale, but it's still working on finding enough paper bags at an affordable price.

"We haven't quite figured out all the details," he said. "But overall, we're supportive of the fact that the Outer Banks is going to be making some changes that will help the environment."

John Bone, president of the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce, said that he has heard a lot of concern about the cost and availability of the paper bags. Buying them in bulk for the affected businesses was impractical, he said.

"Everybody wants to have their own logos," he said.

Bone said that businesses are also worried about the logistics of compensating the customers who bring their own bags, as well as finding the room to store the bulkier paper bags.

"It's just a real big challenge at a time that's not a good time for the economy," he said.

Although many small retail stores and restaurants will not be affected by the law, many others will because they are part of a chain. Only the barrier islands of Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties fall under the law, so Manteo and mainland businesses will not have to comply. But some confusion still remains.

"The biggest hurdle has been trying to figure out where on the barrier islands this applies," said Andy Ellen, general counsel for the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association.

Ellen said that the association has been fielding calls about the law from Outer Banks members and nonmembers, helping them to get in compliance and find bag suppliers.

The average lightweight plastic bag costs a little more than a penny each, he said, and the average paper bag made of 100 percent recycled content costs about 9 cents each - more than six times the cost of plastic.

The additional expense will have to be made up somewhere, Ellen said.

"That's the cost of doing business down there," he said. "It gets passed on to consumers."

The law will be enforced by the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which will impose fines of as much as $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation and $500 for additional violations.

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com