BY JOHN SWINCONECK Times Record Staff

FREEPORT

Bow Street Market marked Earth Day on Wednesday by eliminating single-use plastic bags at the checkout line. The market estimates its efforts will remove more than 600,000 plastic bags from the waste stream every year.

The market gave away reusable bags to its first 1,000 customers on Wednesday.

Paper bags are still available, however; Bow Street Market will also donate 15 cents to Freeport Community Services for each shopper that fills a reusable bag in April. The market will continue the program, donating to a different nonprofit every month as an incentive for customers to bring their own bags.

Freeport residents on April 15 spoke overwhelmingly to the town council in favor of imposing a ban or a fee on single-use bags.

Along with CVS and Shaw’s, Bow Street Market would have been the most affected of Freeport’s stores by disposable bag limits.

Store manager Jim Frey said the store’s move came out of environmental concern, and that eliminating plastic bags would likely have occurred whether or not Freeport contemplated a bag fee or ban.

“The information we’ve gotten back from customers has been totally positive,” said Frey.

The decision means an increase in the cost of doing business. Plastic bags run 2 cents each, whereas paper bags will cost the market 15-20 cents.

Frey said Bow Street Market will absorb the costs and not charge customers for paper bags.

“We don’t want to pass it on to our customers,” Frey said. “ We’re hoping that with the influx of customer support it will help balance the cost of the paper bags.

“ Our goal is to change the habit of the customer, and really promote the reusable bag,” said Frey.

Reusable bags at Bow Street Market now sell for $1.99 each.