Newton’s plastic bag and polystyrene bans are back.
As of today, Newton’s previously-suspended plastic bag and polystyrene ordinances are once again in place. And once again, Newton businesses are required to charge 10-cents per paper bag.
Paper bags cost a dime again
by Greg Reibman | Sep 1, 2020 | Newton | 5 comments
Any policy that encourages people to bring potentially virus infected bags into a grocery store during a pandemic is sheer Trumpian idiocy….#Defund the City Council!
@Mike Striar – from what I’ve read, the general consensus now is that casual physical contact with objects is not something to be worried about. The reusable bag is no more infectious than the clothes you are wearing or the counter your items are touching. The amount of live virus on surfaces isn’t generally enough to cause illness.
@Merideth, spoken like a woman who is not working at the front lines of a grocery store.
Out of curiosity, how often are you in ‘casual physical contact’ with objects from others that may be exposed to the Coronavirus?
If ‘casual pysical contact’ is so safe, then it sounds like Newton should return to regularly scheduled library hours, allow the public into the book stacks, and open the book shelves to public browsing again. It also sounds like Newton should stop quarantining newly returned books for a few days before returning those books into circulation, right?
The hypocrisy of Newton is just breathtaking.
@Karen – Returning books into circulation immediately? Sure.
Regularly scheduled library hours? That’s a totally different thing. That’s putting people together in an enclosed inside space for possibly extended periods of time – apples and oranges.
@Jerry –
Regarding regularly scheduled library hours:
Actually, we are in phase 3, which permits museums and casinos to open. I do not see the obstacle to opening libraries in phase 3 (with similar phase 3 guidelines). Also, the last time I picked up library books curbside, they were neatly packed in a disposable paper bag. Admittedly, this was a month ago. On my next library pickup, it will be interesting to see whether that procedure is still in place.
The main point I’m trying to make, though, is:
Isn’t it relevant to hear from front line grocery workers about any safety concerns on this issue?
Why is it ok for the library to operate in a hermetically sealed environment out of ‘an abundance of caution’ (this quote is taken from a past mayoral newsletter)? Personally, I feel bad that front line grocery workers are not granted the same ‘abundance of caution’.
I think it would be a nice gesture if Newton City Councilors and the Mayor volunteered at grocery checkout counters – to bag groceries. Wouldn’t that be a nice way to demonstrate the safety of ‘casual physical contact’ with reusable grocery bags?