Plastic and paper bags fill a kitchen drawer. (Enterprise photo — Griffin Kelly)

LAKE PLACID — The Hannaford supermarket off Saranac Avenue will charge 5 cents per paper and plastic bags at checkout, starting Oct. 1.

Hannaford spokesperson Eric Bloom said bags have a cost, both financially and environmentally.

“Hannaford has always been a leader in sustainability,” he said. “There are a number of stores where municipal laws limit paper and plastic bags. In the past few years, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in reusable bags among customers.”

The supermarket will give a portion of the 5 cents for paper and plastic bags to local charities and organizations in the Lake Placid area. The supermarket sells bargain-priced reusable bags for 50 cents as well as other bags it calls “cause bags,” where $1 of the proceeds goes toward local charities.

The decision to charge for paper and plastic bags was announced at the Lake Placid Village Board of Trustees meeting Monday night. Mayor Craig Randall agreed it was a good idea.

Hannaford also offers plastic bag recycling at its Lake Placid location.

Plastic bags have been known to hurt the environment and animals in a number of ways. Animals such as cows and turtles can eat them, obstructing their digestive systems, they can pollute habitats, damage aesthetic values and clog sewer systems.

Bloom said Hannaford doesn’t expect this new policy to draw negativity from its customers.

“This will be a learning experience for us,” he said. “We recognize that people care about the environment, especially in Lake Placid.”