Environmental Advisory Commission launches survey to guide potential limits on single-use plastics
The quiet culprits of modern life — plastic bags snagged in trees, straws drifting through storm drains, utensils lingering long after a takeout meal — are now squarely in Lansdale’s sights.
The Lansdale Environmental Advisory Commission is gathering public input as it explores a potential plastic reduction ordinance, that would be recommend to council, aimed at cutting down on single-use plastics across the borough.
Spearheaded by commission members Sean Weatherwax, Sean Greene and Deb Faulkner, the effort is still in its early stages, with officials emphasizing that community feedback will play a key role in shaping any proposal before it reaches borough council.
The draft concept focuses on common disposable items such as plastic shopping bags, straws, utensils and certain packaging — materials that often end up as litter in neighborhoods and waterways, where they can harm wildlife, clog infrastructure and contribute to long-term pollution.
In the survey, commission members noted that surrounding municipalities have already adopted similar measures, leading to shifts in both consumer habits and business practices. Those changes have already begun to ripple into Lansdale, where residents and businesses are encountering new norms around plastic use and availability.
Before advancing any formal recommendation, the commission is asking residents, business owners and community groups to weigh in through a short survey designed to gauge support and identify potential concerns.
Among the questions: whether respondents support reducing single-use plastics, banning free plastic bags, or requiring utensils to be provided only upon request.
The survey also explores how residents might respond to small fees for paper or reusable bags — whether they would bring their own, pay the fee or change shopping habits altogether.
The feedback will help determine which materials to target, how quickly any changes could be implemented and what kind of education or support may be needed to ease the transition.
The commission’s mission centers on improving environmental quality and sustainability in Lansdale, with the survey an opportunity for residents to directly shape a policy that could affect everyday routines — from grocery trips to takeout orders.
Residents can complete the survey in just a few minutes, with results expected to inform a future draft ordinance for consideration by borough council.
The EAC is chaired by ROb Gladfelter and is comprised by members Connie Lezenby, Mike Bueke, Sean Greene, Sean Weatherwax, Dave Campolongo, Borough Council Representative Rafia Razzak, Borough Manager John J. Ernst, and Borough Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Greg Rapp.
The EAC meets the third Thursday of each month in Borough Hall at 6:30 p.m. The EAC can be contacted via email at [email protected].
There is currently a vacancy on the EAC. Those interested in serving should send a letter of interest to: Board Vacancies c/o Stacie Maile, One Vine St., Lansdale, Pa 19446, or email to: [email protected] Please include any relevant information and experience.
