Chicago's So-Called Plastic Bag Ban Goes Into Effect For Smaller Stores
By Emma G. Gallegos in News on Aug 2, 2016 4:18PM
This week Chicago's plastic bag ban will be rolled out to smaller chain stores like 7-Eleven throughout the city, a year after the ban went into effect for larger chain stores, according to WTTW.
The ban has been criticized not just by people who hate the specter of the nanny state in their grocery-shopping but environmentalists who point out the law doesn't really ban plastic bags. As of Monday, those thin plastic bags that seagulls mistake for lunch and that Katy Perry sings about are banned from all the chain stores throughout the city. Now stores are handing out plastic bags that are four times thicker. They're meant to be reused, but often aren't.
Chicago Magazine examined the law's effect at larger chain stores. There are reports from the Illinois Retail Merchants Association that fewer plastic bags are being handed out but that is largely due to a decrease in double-bagging—not because customers are reusing bags. Handing out half the bags that are four times as thick means that twice the plastic is being used as before. Use of paper bags is going up, though those aren't environmentally a better choice. One bright spot is that Tomas Vujovic, a recycling director at Waste Management, tells Chicago Magazine that he sees fewer plastic bags.
The nanny state approach may have been a wash, but in the meantime, you can always try to help save the oceans yourself by carrying around reusable bags yourself.