Aug 30 - Homer, AK Passes Plastic Bag Ban; Could CA Be Next?

While the Friday deadline is fast approaching for CA’s state bag bill, AB 298, up north the City of Homer, Alaska became the latest city to adopt a plastic bag ban on Monday.

Homer is the fourth city in the state of Alaska to pass a bag ban. See the list of local bag bans.

The plastic bag ban goes into effect on January 1, 2013. It was first introduced in July.

Council Member Beau Burgess, who co-sponsored the ordinance, told media,

"Homer draws its economic livelihood from tourism and fisheries. And there are plenty of viable, good alternatives to plastic bags."

Fellow Council Member and co-sponsor David Lewis noted that the plastic bags are also a nuisance for waste management.

"We are a transfer station now, we are transferring it down the road and it’s expensive. There are countries around the world that have banned them. I do my best not to use them. At the Landfill they blow all around."

Read an article in the Homer Tribune.

Congrats to the City of Homer for taking action against unnecessary plastic bag pollution and waste.

Take action and tell your Senator to support AB 298, the California bag bill.