Barrington officials are considering a ban on plastic grocery bags to protect the environment. The Providence Journal reported that the town Conservation Commission has voted to ban use of the bags at retail stores. The proposal will go to the Town Council for review. Discarded bags wash up on beaches by the thousands and clog storm drains, say environmentalists, who have been seeking such a ban for years. The American Progressive Bag Alliance says the plastic bag manufacturing and recycling business employs more than 30,000 US workers.