Some Cuyahoga County Council Members Want to Ban Plastic Bags for Retailers

After an ordinance that would impose a fee on plastic bags at grocery stores and eateries failed to make traction last year, members of the Cuyahoga Country Council are back with a plan to ban disposable plastic bags from use at all retail establishments in the area. 

Introduced by council members Sunny Simon and Dale Miller, the new legislation aims to encourage people to carry their own reusable bags while cutting down on “the polluting effects of and accompanying blight caused by disposable bags on the environment of Cuyahoga County.” Retailers are instead permitted to offer recycled paper bags for patrons’ use.

The proposed ordinance, which is similar to bans in place in cities like Seattle and Los Angeles, does offer some exceptions, including plastic bags used for dry cleaning, restaurant carry-out and prescription drugs. 

If passed, the ban would go into effect on Oct 1. Those retailers found to ignore the law by the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs could see a fine of up to $500 per violation.

The proposed ordinance is included in tomorrow’s Cuyahoga County Council meeting agenda. Find out more about tomorrow’s agenda and proposed legislation right here.

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This article appears in Apr 3-9, 2019.