89.9 FM Live From The University Of New Mexico
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Santa Fe group mulling plastic grocery bag ban

Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

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.