A Repeal Effort in Response to Plastic Water Bottle Ban

Great Barrington — A controversial environmental measure enacted earlier this month at the annual town meeting might be rescinded if opponents get their way.

The Berkshire Edge reports,  late in the evening during the May 7 annual town meeting, voters approved by a margin of approximately 2-1 a measure that effectively bans the sale of single-use plastic noncarbonated water bottles of 1 liter in size or less within the town limits of Great Barrington. The new bylaw will take effect Wednesday, May 1, 2019.

The approval from residents followed a lengthy and impassioned appeal from three Monument Mountain Regional High School students. They pointed to an array of research and data indicating the environmental issues associated with plastic in general and the single-use water bottles in particular because of the chronic infiltration of microplastic debris into the food chain.

Even among its supporters, the approval of the initiative was far from certain but, as attendees watched the students and listened to almost a dozen other people speak in favor of it, the momentum of the measure built and it passed by acclamation.

You can read the full article by going to The Berkshire Edge's website