IT’S BYOB AS OF 12:01 AM WEDNESDAY
Haines and Homer bans on single-use plastic bags start New Years Day, 2020.
Homer city voters approved Proposition 1 in the Oct. 1 General Election. That mandated that, with just a few weeks to prepare, retailers will not provide single-use plastic bags for shoppers starting Wednesday. The ban affects grocery stores, convenience stores, general merchandise, liquor stores, restaurants, and temporary retailers such as farmers market and fair vendors.
Homer enacted a bag ban via ordinance in 2012, but it was repealed the next year by a ballot initiative from rebellious voters. This time, it passed the vote with 946 in favor, 497 opposed.
Haines Borough enacted a bag ban by ordinance in May, to go into effect Jan. 1, 2020, when it will be illegal for businesses to provide single-use plastic shopping bags.
Haines and Homer join other Alaska communities so far to ban carryout bags that are less than 2.5 mils thick:
- Anchorage, September 15, 2019
- Unalaska, January 1, 2019
- Palmer, January 1, 2019
- Soldotna, November 1, 2018
- Wasilla, July 1, 2018
- Kodiak, April 22, 2018
- Cordova, October 1, 2016
- Hooper Bay, September 1, 2010
- Bethel, September 1, 2010
Are cotton tote bags actually better for the environment? The jury is undecided, but the evidence doesn’t look good for cotton bags.
[Read: Your cotton tote is pretty much the worst replacement for a plastic bag]
