Santa Fe group mulling plastic grocery bag ban

An emerging push to ban plastic grocery bags in Santa Fe will get its first public airing this week.

A city advisory committee is considering an ordinance calling for a prohibition on plastic carryout bags at stores in the city. The new law also would impose a fee stores must collect if they provide paper bags.

The idea is already facing lobbying against it from the plastics industry representatives and large-scale retail operators.

Members of the city's Business and Quality of Life Committee met last month with representatives from Wal-Mart and Albertsons to get their take on the proposal. An Albertsons representative says her grocery company would prefer a recycling program. The committee meets Monday morning.

No elected official has yet agreed to introduce the ordinance.