Palm Beach County supports efforts to ban plastic bags at stores

Palm Beach County has added its support to efforts to ban plastic bags in retail stores.

A group of schoolchildren inspired commissioners to adopt a resolution calling on state legislators to let local boards decide if plastic bags should be allowed in stores in their jurisdiction.

State law bars communities from enacting local regulations on plastic bags.

A bill under consideration this year in the state Legislature would create a pilot program that would allow coastal communities with fewer than 100,000 people to enact local bans on plastic bags.

Palm Beach County’s resolution supports allowing larger communities to also ban plastic bags if the pilot program proves successful.

As part of a classroom project, students fromThe Benjamin School told commissioners the bags endupin the oceanand are dangerous to sea turtles that mistake them for food.

The Florida Retail Federation opposes giving local boards the ability to ban plastic bags, arguing it would create inconsistent regulations across the state and cost jobs.

About 30 other communities across the state, including Miami-Dade County, Hollywood and West Palm Beach, support more authority for local boards to regulate plastic bags, according to the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental organization.

sswisher@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6634 or @SkylerSwisher