Apr 25 - Chicago Bag Ban Moves Forward

The Chicago carryout bag ordinance moved one step closer to passage yesterday when it passed out of a council committee and now advances to the full Council for a hearing next Wednesday.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Health and Environmental Protection Committee voted on the ordinance, moving it forward for full consideration next week. If passed, grocery stores would be prohibited from distributing single-use plastic grocery bags by August 2015. The ordinance would expand to smaller grocery and convenience stores by the following year.

Introduced in the 1970s, the ubiquitous plastic grocery bag negatively impacts the environment and our economy.

Over 100 local governments in California have an adopted local bag ban, but the remaining 2/3rds of the state still needs a solution. Support California's SB 270, a proposed bag bill by Senators Padilla, de Leon, and Lara.