Twillingate and New World Island say goodbye to plastic bags

Thanks to initiative from DFO, grocery stores going green

Department of Fisheries and Oceans supervisor Dwayne Holwell, left, and fisheries officer Trent Chaffey bag groceries for customers as the new initiative to end plastic bags use gets underway. - Kyle Greenham

TWILLINGATE AND NEW WORLD ISLAND, N.L., - In the name of conservation and lessening damage to the ocean, grocery stores across Twillingate and New World Island are abandoning the use of plastic bags.

Judy Hillier with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Twillingate detachment had been brainstorming for some time ways to cut back on the use of plastic bags in the area. In October of last year, she reached out to surrounding grocery stores to see if they would get on board with her idea.

“It’s a part of the Goodbye Plastics initiative that was started by the federal Fisheries and Oceans,” said Hillier. “We decided to take it a step further and see if these stores would do their part to get rid of plastic bags altogether.”

Now, as of the end of January, the Independent and Foodland in Twillingate, Stuckless Freshmart in Durrell, and Farr’s Foodland in Virgin Arm will completely end the distribution of plastic bags.

The DFO donated 1,500 recyclable fabric bags to each of the four stores, which will be distributed for free to customers over the coming weeks.

YOU SAID IT

Q: How do you feel about the new plastic bag initiative?

Jim Newman, Boyd’s Cove

“I made the switch myself long ago. I was tired of seeing all the plastic and everything around. We need to be thinking about the next generation and be throwing less junk away.”