Feb 27 - Majority of Austin City Council Supports Plastic Bag Ban
This Thursday the Austin City Council will hold a hearing on a single-use bag ordinance that could be one of the broadest policies targeting all types of single-use bags.
According to the American Statesman, six of the seven councilmembers support a ban on plastic bags. The majority are also supportive of banning paper bags. As it stands, the draft ordinance proposes a one-year charge for single-use bags before a full ban is effective in March 2014. Details for the ordinance could potentially be revised.
If the City’s Resource Recovery Director, Bob Gedert, has a say, a full ban will go into effect on March 2013 with no transition period. He’s concerned that the proposed fee (10 cents per bag or $1 per transaction) would create problems between shoppers and retailers.
Read the article here. See the draft ordinance and agenda for the March 1, 2012 meeting (Item 78). The hearing portion of the meeting starts at 4 pm at City Hall, 301 W. Second Street, and public comment will be taken.
Elsewhere in Texas, the City of Corpus Christi recently discussed a bag ordinance modeled after Brownsville’s ordinance. Brownsville, Texas was the first city in the state to pass a bag ordinance in 2009. Read more about the Corpus Christi movement here.
See the full list of single-use bag ordinances.
Take action on single-use plastic ordinances on our website.