PORTLAND (AP) — A vote on whether to ban plastic foam and assess a dime fee on paper and plastic shopping bags in Portland has been postponed because of heavy opposition from business owners and industry groups.

During a public hearing at City Hall on Wednesday, opponents of the ban and the disposable bag fee urged the city council’s Transportation, Sustainability and Energy Committee to focus on education and more practical litter reduction efforts, including recycling containers.

The Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/1fJtC9b ) reported that a spokesman for the C.N. Brown convenience store chain said the “problem is not the product, it’s the people.”

Others said a fee would be an economic burden and drive business out of the city.

Supporters said a foam ban and bag fee would reduce litter and environmental hazards.

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Maine, Portland, shopping
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