The City of Austin, Texas may enact one of the toughest bag bans in the country come 2016. The city council is set to vote on the ban next month that would require retailers to only offer reusable bags.
The ban would include a three-year adjustment period starting in 2013 for retailers and consumers to get prepared where single-use bags could still be purchased at 25 cents each. Once 2016 hits though, only reusable bags would be allowed and that would include City of Austin facilities and all city events.
Some single-use bags would be exempt from the ban, including: restaurant carryout bags, bags for wine and beer, dry cleaning bags, newspaper delivery bags and bags that hold meat, fish, produce, bulk foods or pharmaceuticals.
Reusable bags would be defined as bags that are made of fabric or durable materials or thick paper or plastic with some recycled content. The city would pay for an aggressive marketing campaign to get the word out about the ban with proceeds from the 25 cent fee.
via Austin Statesman
Image via mtsofan
