FREEPORT — Town councilors Tuesday unanimously voted to further review of proposed restrictions on disposable paper and plastic bags.

In a discussion that lasted roughly two hours and saw more than a dozen members of the public speak in favor of either banning the bags or implementing fees for their use, all five councilors expressed support for some kind of restriction. Councilors Scott Gleeson and James Hendricks were absent.

While no action was taken to restrict the bags, Councilor Sarah Tracy said “it was important to pause and gauge public interest” in whether the council should move forward. Public comments were for some kind of restriction.

Woody Woodbury, owner of Freeport Hardware at 262 U.S. Route 1, said he eliminated plastic bags last fall and it hasn’t hurt his business at all.

“I’ve had more positive response than negative,” Woodbury said.

Amy Hunter, an environmental science teacher at Freeport High School, said she talks often to her students about what’s happening to the environment.

“These are incremental steps to make the world a better place,” Hunter said.

Tracy noted that councilors have not determined what kinds of bags would be affected by an ordinance if one is enacted.

“All options are still on the table,” she said.

The town has banned foam cups and food containers since 1990, and began looking into a possible ban or fee for bags last July, when two high school seniors drafted a proposed ordinance that would ban them. Councilors referred that to the Ordinance Committee, which Tracy chairs.

The panel “evaluated economic and environmental impacts to see if an ordinance is in the best interest of Freeport,” Tracy said.

On Tuesday night, the council asked Freeport Economic Development Corp. to do an analysis of the economic impact of a ban or fee system. Councilors also asked the Recycling and Solid Waste Committee do an environmental impact analysis, as well as a life-cycle analysis of paper and plastic bags.

“The Ordinance Committee and Town Council are considering all options, not just a ban,” Tracy said. There could conceivably be anything from no action, to a ban on plastic bags and a fee on paper bags, or any other combination, she said.

Councilor Bill Rixon said the Portland model, which places a 5-cent fee on disposable paper and plastic bags at grocery and convenience stores, is an “appropriate step to take,” because it treats both products equally.

“Portland is starting with something achievable,” Rixon said, noting residents had nearly a year after the measure was enacted by the City Council before it went into affect. He said a similar process in Freeport would be the way to get people prepared for any restrictions.

Rixon also said Portland was wise to look only at stores that primarily sell food. In  Freeport that would essentially be Shaw’s Supermarket at 200 Lower Main St., Bow Street Market at 79 Bow St., and CVS Pharmacy at 512 Middle St.

He added he most likes a model Falmouth is examining because it would place a fee on both types of bags for a year, before transitioning to a ban on plastic bags.

“With the fee for the year people have plenty of opportunities to get reusable bags,” Rixon said.

While there was no deadline discussed for any of the analyses requested, councilors expressed hope they may be able to make a decision about an ordinance within the next few months.