St. Louis Park Considers Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If you live in one Twin Cities suburb, you may want to start bringing your own bag on your grocery run.
The city of St. Louis Park is considering banning single-use plastic bags.
If the proposal passes, it would become the first city in Minnesota to have a plastic bag ban.
Customers leave with all kinds of treats at Honey & Rye Bakehouse in St Louis Park.
"We actually use paper bags partially because it fits with our aesthetic, but also because it's something we like to support," owner Anne Andrus said.
St. Louis Park resident Melissa Hoag said she supports the shop's measures to be more eco-friendly. She already brings her own reusable cloth bag when she goes grocery shopping.
"I hate plastic bags in general, and we never use them," she said. "We bring our own or use paper, so I think it's a wonderful idea."
Environmental stewardship is listed on St. Louis Park's website as part of the city's mission, and a majority of the seven city council members support the ban.
"We think it's really important to take this step to make sure we are reducing waste, and plastic bags are things that are absolutely unnecessary," city council member Anne Mavity said.
The largest users of plastic bags are grocery stores. A ban would mean the Target, Lunds & Byerly's and Cub Foods in St. Louis Park would all be affected.
Target said the company already encourages customers to forgo plastic bags with their five-cent discount for customers like Hoag who bring in reusable bags.
"Our landfills are overflowing, and I want to have a decent world for my kids to grow up in," Hoag said.
As for what kind of plastic bags will be banned, city council members are still debating if it will include things like trash bags.
The city is also considering banning styrofoam food containers, something Minneapolis has already done.
Minneapolis is also considering banning plastic bags.
They plan to vote in September, but they said there will be a lot steps before that. They plan to get a lot of public and business input before making any decision.
