Ald. Moreno Introduces Ordinance to Ban Plastic Bags
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Nov 2, 2011 10:20PM
Ald. Proco Joe Moreno (1st) introduced an ordinance today that would ban plastic bag use by large retailers in Chicago. He introduced the ordinance during today's city council session, and it proposes fining stores larger than 50,000 square feet $150 to $250 when not complying. Moreno says it focuses on large stores so as not to burden small stores with an additional expense.
That fee doesn't seem quite large enough to us, though. Stores use plastic bags because they're cheaper than the alternatives. We imagine it might be easier for a Jewel or a Dominick's to pay the fine rather than change over to different bags.
That may be why Moreno has a back-up plan to charge retailers $0.10 per plastic bag, if the ordinance he proposed does not pass.
Moreno floated the idea three weeks ago, saying it could also save the city money on clean-up costs. “I went out and talked to the guys that actually do it,” Moreno said. “They pull out hundreds of plastic bags out of our sewers. So, it’s costing the city money.”
The city would be join several cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Austin is also. Earlier this year Jewel-Osco announced they would start training their baggers not to double-bag groceries to cut waste. Plastic bags have been banned from farmers' markets since 2008. Our neighbors to the north in Evanston are considering a ban, also.