North Myrtle Beach plastic bag ban in place. Kind of. Confused? Here’s what’s happening.

It was a typically bustling Wednesday morning at Boulineau’s, the North Myrtle Beach supermarket just footsteps from the ocean.

Inside, rows of cashiers in the store’s distinctive red-and-white collared shirts rang up items of all sizes, placing them in bags of either plastic, paper or reusable totes to patrons clad mostly in beach clothes.

Although the city is holding firm on its controversial decision that made North Myrtle Beach South Carolina’s 15th community to implement plastic bag restrictions starting July 1, officials are granting merchants a small reprieve — voting Wednesday to allow them to use plastic bags that are at least 2.25 mils thick, and to give them through October to line up suppliers for those bags. A mil is a thousandth of an inch.

That’s partly due to businesses pointing at COVID-19-related supply chain issues that have made it almost impossible to fully comply with the city’s new law. Boulineau’s marketing director Anna Bowers said a total conversion away from plastic would cost the store about $250,000 annually, an expense that will find its way onto shelves.

“What people need to understand is, we’re not going to absorb that cost,” she said.

Several customers said they were willing to pay a higher price in exchange for fewer plastic bags in the environment.

“I’d hate to see a turtle with one around their head,” said Neil Flynt, a Calabash, N.C., resident who once lived in North Myrtle Beach.

Permission to use some plastic bags

City leaders adopted the ordinance back in April 2019 with an original implementation date of Jan. 1, 2021. But when COVID-19 hit and locked down the economy, officials decided to pull back its start date.

While the permission to use the thick bags might sound like an obscure technical change, city leaders say it’s actually doing businesses a favor since the bags are more durable than standard plastic bags, they can be reused up to 125 times, and are cheaper to obtain than conventional paper or fabric sacks.

“As a council, we have tried to listen to some concerns that we have heard from our businesses, although I will say I’m very proud of our businesses that planned ahead,” Mayor Marilyn Hatley said during a Wednesday City Council meeting.

Language in the ordinance says violators are liable for $500 fines and even 30 days in jail.

Revisiting the rules in 2024

In January 2024, the council will revisit the thickness clause with the eventual goal of outlawing plastic bags.

“I don’t think the 2.25 mil bag is the absolute answer. I think we need to get people to buy into changing their habits,” councilman Fred Coyne said.

Proponents of the ban encouraged the city not to wait too long in rethinking the policy.

“I do wish y’all would just bite the bullet and ban all plastic bags. I think that would be better for our community, but you’re heading in the right direction,” resident Luke Sharp told the council. “If we want to protect our beaches, more plastic is not the answer.”

Bowers said her store has spent more than a year preparing customers for the eventual move away from traditional plastic bags, but a supply chain still bouncing back from COVID-19 has made things difficult, as limited stores of non-single-use plastic bags are hard to find.

Bowers said Boulineau’s has gone to three vendors that haven’t been able to meet demand.

Though no business owners spoke at Wednesday’s meeting — Boulineau’s owner Frank Boulineau has done so in the past — those who did address the council were all in favor of a plastic bag phase-out far ahead of the city’s self-imposed review.

“Why put off revisiting that law? By putting it off 18 months that means we have to maintain the status quo as it is now,” Skip Dow said.

Bowers said her company is working hard to abide by the city’s rules. The store whips through 27,630 bags a week, and sandwich boards at its entrances urge people to bring their own bags. With every $100 purchase, customers get their own branded tote bag.

“We’re trying to get our team members to say, ‘do you need a bag for this,’” Bowers said. And “we’re definitely seeing more people bringing their own bags.”