A Freeport Town Council subcommittee is continuing to review a proposal that would ban or impose a fee on the use of carry-out plastic bags and/or paper bags.

The Ordinance Committee, at the direction of the full council, will discuss a possible ordinance at the committee’s next meeting, the date to be determined by Committee Chairwoman Sarah Tracy. The committee is working with the town’s Recycling and Solid Waste Committee to either formulate an ordinance – or not. A ban or fee on the use of carry-out plastic bags was proposed a year ago, by Meredith Broderick and Elly Bengtsson, who were Freeport High School seniors at the time. The Recycling and Solid Waste Committee has recommended a ban or fee on plastic bags.

Andy Wellen and Scott Gleeson are the other members of the Ordinance Committee.

At its last meeting on April 14, the Town Council directed the Recycling and Solid Waste Committee to do an analysis on the impact that a ban and/or fee on both plastic and paper bags would have on the environment. The council also asked the Freeport Economic Development Corp. to study the impact that a ban or fee would have on Freeport businesses.

“Because this is such a complex and important issue, and has wide impact on our town, the Ordinance Committee felt it has time to pause and gauge the public input,” Melanie Sachs, council chairwoman, said at the April 14 meeting.

Tracy said that committee has been evaluating economic and environmental impacts of a ban or fee of plastic since Broderick and Bengtsson submitted the ordinance amendment. The committee has conducted surveys of businesses and residents, and reviewed actions taken by other municipalities, such as Portland, she said. Portland enacted a fee, paid by customers, on carry-out plastic bags last week.

The two committees are considering all options, including a combination of fees and bans on both plastic and paper bags, Tracy said.

Woody Woodbury, owner of Freeport True Value Hardware, said he doesn’t want the town to spend money studying the issue. Woodbury stopped using carry-out plastic bags last fall.

“It’s had no effect on my business,” he said. “The paper’s a little bit more expensive but I’ve had more positive impact than negative.”

Kristen Dorsey also spoke in favor of a ban on plastic bags.

“I see them hanging all over trees and bushes in town,” Dorsey said. “Freeport has taken small steps to try and be a leader. Plastic is a toxin.”

One woman, however, said that without the carry-out plastic bags she gets at the supermarket, she might have a difficult time finding something else to put her pet waste in. Sandy Thompson, chairwoman of the Recycling & Solid Waste Committee, said Monday that several other residents have expressed similar concerns.