Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Bag ban notices at H-E-B
The notice reads,
Have you heard? As of March 1, 2013 in accordance with City of Austin Ordinance No.20120301-078 business establishments may no longer provide single-use, carryout bags to their customers. Per the ordinance, customers may request single-use paper or plastic bags for an emergency access fee of $1 per transaction. Please remember your reusable bags every time you shop.
While some stores chose to develop their own thicker, heavier bags labeled as "reusable" under city code to give away to customers, H-E-B chose to charge $1 per transaction for their customers that forgot their reusable bags at home.
First trip to H-E-B, post-bag ban.
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My cashier, who didn't want to share her name, said the bag ban makes her job a lot easier but that she's had to deal with a few annoyed customers today who didn't bring their own bags.
"They'll complain if I tell them they're going to either have to pay for a bag or carry their groceries out bagless," she said. "It's frustrating but I'm sure after the first months people will get used to it."
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The University Co-Op
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It reads:
Under City of Austin Code, the Co-Op can no longer offer single use carry out bags.
The Co-Op is now providing heavy-weight plastic bags and/or paper bags that meet City of Austin standards for re-usable carry out bags.
We encourage you to BRING YOUR OWN re-usable bags for future shopping trips.
CVS "reusable" bags
CVS's new, reusable bags don't seem very reusable. After buying frozen foods, there's no way I can use this paper bag again. It's soggy, so it's going in the trash.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Q&A with Alexandria Bruton
Q&A with Alexandria Bruton, Public Information Specialist
Austin Resource Recovery
Q: Why institute a bag ban in the first place? What are the benefits? What are the downfalls?
A: The City of Austin is committed to reaching Zero Waste by 2040, which means reducing the amount of waste sent to area landfills by 90 percent by 2040. The Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance replaces bags that can be used only a limited number of times. The goal is to reduce the number of single-use bags distributed over time. This shift not only helps reduce waste and litter, but it also helps residents transition to more reusable options. The benefits are dramatically reducing the amount of single use plastic bags that litter our roadways, clog our waterways and can harm local wildlife. These bags also take hundreds of years to biodegrade in landfills and their production can also be harmful to the environment. While we don’t foresee any obstacles in implementing the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance, we do realize that businesses and shoppers may experience a period of transition. Many Austinites are already in the habit of bringing bags with them when going to the grocery store. For those who don’t, remembering to bring them wherever they shop may take some adjusting. To make this transition easier, the City has held training sessions for retailers, and is engaging in a broad education and outreach effort to let the community know about the new standards.
Q: Austinites have pretty split opinions over the ban. How is the city dealing with some of the backlash? How are you responding to people saying the ban violates state laws?
A: If a resident or business has a concern about the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance we do our best to answer any questions and resolve any issues they may have. We’ve received the lawsuit and are prepared to defend the ordinance. We stand behind the intent of the ordinance and do not believe it poses a hardship to affected businesses. The City is committed to working with businesses to help them comply with the ordinance and offers a number of resources to make this process as easy as possible.
Q: Do you think the ban will be effective? Will retailers abide by it? What happens to retailers that don't abide?
A: We expect the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance to be effective. Over 17,000 retailers in Austin are affected by the ordinance. We don’t anticipate that businesses will refuse to comply. In the first year of implementation our goal will be to educate businesses and serve as a resource for them to help with compliance. Violation of this ordinance is a Class “C” misdemeanor and the City may fine businesses that do not make good faith efforts to follow the ordinance rules.
Q: Some retailers are arguing that this would increase their business costs, as they are producing custom reusable bags with their own store's brand. Is the city providing any incentives to retailers to stop using plastic/paper bags?
A: There are no incentives provided by the City to businesses to stop distributing any type of retail bag. Retailers still have an option as to what they provide at checkout and some may choose to do away with bags all together. The bags they do provide must meet the following criteria: 4 mil in thickness plastic bags with handles, at least 40% recycled content paper bags or reusable bags made out of fabric. Businesses may choose to charge a fee for the bags they offer. However, the City is not requiring or assessing any fees to be charged for the use checkout bags.
Q: How have the first few days of the ban gone? Do any improvements need to be made?
A: It’s still a little early to tell but many businesses and shoppers have made a smooth transition into the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance. Austin is known for being a green city and its residents, including business owners, are often regarded as having a great concern and care for the environment.
Q: What effects do you see this ban having in the foreseeable future in Austin? Say, 10-20 years from now.
A: The reason for this ordinance is that disposable bags are expensive over the long term and have a significant environmental impact. This ordinance will dramatically reduce the amount of single-use bags distributed in the City of Austin. This will help cut down on litter and help the City reach the Zero Waste by 2040 goal.
Austin Resource Recovery
Q: Why institute a bag ban in the first place? What are the benefits? What are the downfalls?
A: The City of Austin is committed to reaching Zero Waste by 2040, which means reducing the amount of waste sent to area landfills by 90 percent by 2040. The Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance replaces bags that can be used only a limited number of times. The goal is to reduce the number of single-use bags distributed over time. This shift not only helps reduce waste and litter, but it also helps residents transition to more reusable options. The benefits are dramatically reducing the amount of single use plastic bags that litter our roadways, clog our waterways and can harm local wildlife. These bags also take hundreds of years to biodegrade in landfills and their production can also be harmful to the environment. While we don’t foresee any obstacles in implementing the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance, we do realize that businesses and shoppers may experience a period of transition. Many Austinites are already in the habit of bringing bags with them when going to the grocery store. For those who don’t, remembering to bring them wherever they shop may take some adjusting. To make this transition easier, the City has held training sessions for retailers, and is engaging in a broad education and outreach effort to let the community know about the new standards.
Q: Austinites have pretty split opinions over the ban. How is the city dealing with some of the backlash? How are you responding to people saying the ban violates state laws?
A: If a resident or business has a concern about the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance we do our best to answer any questions and resolve any issues they may have. We’ve received the lawsuit and are prepared to defend the ordinance. We stand behind the intent of the ordinance and do not believe it poses a hardship to affected businesses. The City is committed to working with businesses to help them comply with the ordinance and offers a number of resources to make this process as easy as possible.
Q: Do you think the ban will be effective? Will retailers abide by it? What happens to retailers that don't abide?
A: We expect the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance to be effective. Over 17,000 retailers in Austin are affected by the ordinance. We don’t anticipate that businesses will refuse to comply. In the first year of implementation our goal will be to educate businesses and serve as a resource for them to help with compliance. Violation of this ordinance is a Class “C” misdemeanor and the City may fine businesses that do not make good faith efforts to follow the ordinance rules.
Q: Some retailers are arguing that this would increase their business costs, as they are producing custom reusable bags with their own store's brand. Is the city providing any incentives to retailers to stop using plastic/paper bags?
A: There are no incentives provided by the City to businesses to stop distributing any type of retail bag. Retailers still have an option as to what they provide at checkout and some may choose to do away with bags all together. The bags they do provide must meet the following criteria: 4 mil in thickness plastic bags with handles, at least 40% recycled content paper bags or reusable bags made out of fabric. Businesses may choose to charge a fee for the bags they offer. However, the City is not requiring or assessing any fees to be charged for the use checkout bags.
Q: How have the first few days of the ban gone? Do any improvements need to be made?
A: It’s still a little early to tell but many businesses and shoppers have made a smooth transition into the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance. Austin is known for being a green city and its residents, including business owners, are often regarded as having a great concern and care for the environment.
Q: What effects do you see this ban having in the foreseeable future in Austin? Say, 10-20 years from now.
A: The reason for this ordinance is that disposable bags are expensive over the long term and have a significant environmental impact. This ordinance will dramatically reduce the amount of single-use bags distributed in the City of Austin. This will help cut down on litter and help the City reach the Zero Waste by 2040 goal.
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