ND1104116

Title: Chicago Looks Into Plastic Bag Ban

Description: The bill would prohibit retailers with more than 5,000 square feet of floor space from handing out bags.

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CHICAGO ? A Chicago alderman wants to curtail the use of disposable plastic bags in the city by banning retailers with more than 5,000 square feet of floor space from giving out the bags, the Chicago Sun Times reports.

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The idea was floated three years ago, but didn?t pass. The Illinois Retail Merchants Association once again is opposed to such a ban because the new ordinance would forbid plastic bags and allow reusable bags instead.

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?A quadrupling of the cost of each bag will translate into higher prices at a time when grocery prices are going up. This is just another attack on consumers and their ability to purchase goods at reasonable prices,? said David Vite, IRMA president. ?We?re trying to bring grocery stores into the city to solve the food desert problem. This is not the time to start putting onerous new costs on the grocery industry or any retailers.?

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Alderman Joe Moreno, who sponsored the measure, said his proposal would not increase consumer cost. ?There are biodegradable bags and other bags that can be used. Their costs are higher today because they?re selling billions and billions of these petroleum-based plastic bags. Those removed from the market will bring down the cost of biodegradable bags,? said Moreno.

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Moreno put in an exemption for smaller stores to avoid harming independents and mom-and-pop operations. Under the ordinance, large retailers would be able to sell or give away reusable bags.

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California has many cities that ban plastic bags, including Santa Cruz,� Long Beach, Oakland, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Santa Monica. Portland, Ore., also now forbids plastic bags at retailers. Irish retailers are upset that a bag tax is harming their business.?

Content Subject: Operations

Formatted Article Date: November 4, 2011

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