It’ll be a new year and a new outlook for business owners and consumers in 2019, as Bristol institutes a resolution to be a little greener. Beginning Jan. 1, the town will officially put into effect its Plastic Bag Ordinance, joining a handful of other communities across the state in banning the use of plastic bags in grocery stores, retail shops, restaurants and most customer-facing businesses.

Following the lead of nearby towns like Barrington, Warren, Newport and Portsmouth, Bristol’s Conservation Commission partnered with the Roger Williams University Community Partnerships Center and the Bristol Merchants Association to complete a community study geared toward understanding the impact a single-use plastic bag ban would have both on the environment and local economy.

According to their research, in Bristol alone, residents go through six million plastic bags per year, while nationwide, that number skyrockets to 100 billion. With less than 1 percent of those bags making it into recycling, their remains are estimated to kill one million marine animals per year.

On the merchant side of things, the study found that 42 percent of the participating 19 businesses already solely offered paper bags at checkout, while 32 percent offered both paper or plastic.

“We are a seaside community, and the fact is, our economy is very much tied to our environment,” said Economic Development Coordinator Chris Vitale.

The town council voted this past February to adopt the ordinance, banning single-use plastic bags (excluding items such as plastic transport bags for fruits and vegetables or for protecting dry cleaning) at checkout and requiring instead either paper bags, reusable bags or both. Punishment for violations can escalate from a warning to a $300 fine after multiple offenses.

With the ordinance only now going officially into effect in the new year, businesses have had plenty of time to begin working through their existing stock of plastic bags and establishing alternative methods.

For Paul Mancieri of Leo’s Ristorante, working with the new law and finding a way to sensibly implement it into their everyday practice is just a normal aspect of running a business.

“We thrive on innovation, so in a way it is a challenge,” he said.

With the restaurant going through nearly 3,600 plastic bags per year, there is plenty of opportunity for Leo’s to get creative with their new system moving forward. Whether they’ll simply stick to paper bags or go all-out with a branded reusable variety is still to be determined, but in the meantime, Mr. Mancieri is simply just happy to do his part in helping the environment.

“As far as supporting the community, we’re all for it,” he said.

While he acknowledges the ban will likely be an adjustment for residents, Mr. Vitale hopes consumers will also be receptive of the drive toward a greener way of doing business.

“I think if we can make this into something that is convenient for both businesses and the consumers, it’s going to help us go a long way and make a positive impact on the environment,” he said.

To view the ordinance in full, visit the town’s website site, where a full list of tips for both business owners and consumers, courtesy of the Conservation Commission, is available. For more questions, call Mr. Vitale at 253-7000 ext. 129 or Town Clerk Lou Cirillo at 253-7000.