Stonington — A Pawcatuck man has begun collecting the 200 signatures he needs to force a referendum vote on the ban on single-use plastic bags and straws which residents overwhelmingly approved at a town meeting last week.

Tom Maher said he is seeking the vote because he is especially concerned about a provision in the ordinance that would allow the town to not renew licenses for businesses found to be in violation of the ordinance.

First-time violators would be notified by the town and given 14 days to comply. Each subsequent violation is punishable by a $150 fine.

Maher said the sit-down restaurants are the only businesses affected by the straw ban.

“If you give out two straws, they may take your license and put you out of business,” he said Tuesday. “The penalty does not fit the crime.”

Representatives of both the Ocean Community and the Greater Mystic chambers of commerce, who have restaurants as members, spoke in favor of the ordinance at last week’s town meeting.

Maher said that while ban supporters say pulling licenses is not the intent of the ordinance and he does not think the town’s current administration would do that, he added, “we don’t know who is coming after them.”

Maher said that plastic straws used by sit-down restaurants are collected from the tables of diners, placed in the trash and sent to the regional incinerator to be burned so they do not end up in the ocean or waterways.

“So, the worst penalty is for the people least responsible for the problem,” he said, adding he also is worried that more violations and businesses will be added to the ordinance in the future.

Maher has until 4 p.m. Monday to submit his petition to the Town Clerk’s office. He said he has a dozen people and three businesses helping him collect signatures. He said those interested in signing can reach him at 2713bumstead@gmail.com. Referendums cost the town about $6,000 to $8,000.

The plastics ban is the result of work by the Plastic Bags and Straws Ad Hoc Committee, which was formed by selectmen last summer to come up with a plan to reduce plastic waste and address the increasing problem of discarded plastic in marine waters, fish and mammals.

The ordinance requires that anyone engaged in retail sales use reusable or recyclable paper bags for customers and no businesses can provide or sell single-use plastic carryout bags. There are exemptions for double opening and plastic barrier bags used for wrapping fish, meat and flowers, laundry and newspapers.

Under the ordinance, a full-service restaurant cannot provide a plastic straw unless a customer requests one.

j.wojtas@theday.com