City Council Committee Approves Partial Ban On Plastic Bags
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago City Council's Health and Environment Committee has given preliminary approval to a partial ban on retailers using those flimsy and ubiquitous plastic bags.
WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports the measure, headed for the full City Council next week is not a total ban on plastic shopping bags. Restaurants and small independent retailers are exempt and there is time for a transition.
But Tanya Triche with the Illinois Retail Merchant's Association says don't call this a compromise. She says customers are going to face higher prices.
"Retailers and our customers shouldn't be on the hook for a failed environmental police, an environmental policy that promotes paper bags which are bigger, denser and take up more room in the landfill," said Triche.
The original sponsor, Alderman Proco Joe Moreno says as in other cities with bans, people will get used to carrying reusable bags or be given biodegradable or compostable ones.