HAWORTH — With a ban on polystyrene containers already on the books, the borough is looking to expand green-friendly prohibitions to single-use plastic bags and plastic straws.

Local businesses would not be able to offer single-use plastic bags and plastic straws to customers under an ordinance introduced in July.

The single-use plastic bag ban would apply at the point of sale. Plastic produce bags, laundry bags and packaged garbage bags would be among the exemptions.

Businesses that fail to comply would be fined $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for the second and all subsequent offenses.

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The borough already has a ban on foam takeout containers made of polystyrene. Councilman Glenn Poosikian said the idea of strengthening the ordinance to include plastic bags and straws came from the Environmental Commission and a resident.

Poosikian said members of the commission also went out to business owners who would be affected by the ordinance and got their approval.

"I think it's a good step in the right direction environmentally for the town, and I'm comfortable with the ordinance because it's nothing that came straight from us," Poosikian said.

He said he expects the ordinance to be approved at the next council meeting, on Aug. 13.

More than 50 municipalities in New Jersey have enacted limits on single-use plastic bags and plastic products such as polystyrene.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com