Plastic bag ban Chicago has the city joining the several ranks of municipalities in totally banning plastic bags, except for small businesses and restaurants, says the Chicago Sun-Times. The Chicago City Council passed the plastic bag ban Chicago after a 36-10 vote.
The partial plastic bag ban Chicago ordinance by the council is to treat different-sized retail establishments differently. Reports say retail stores which encompass more than 10,000 square feet are exempted for the meantime in the partial plastic bag ban Chicago. They may comply at a later date which is August of 2015. Meanwhile, smaller establishments, which are also included in the partial partial plastic bag ban Chicago were given an additional year to adapt. Those who are completely exempted from the plastic bag ban Chicago are independent stores with less than 10,000 square feet of floor space.
Retailers included in the plastic bag ban Chicago were told to "provide reusable bags, recyclable bags or any combination thereof", according to the ordinance language. However, this may pose a problem to the profits of the retailers as paper bags are reportedly three times more costly than plastics.
According to the Sun-Times, 10 aldermen have voted against the ordinance, and a state retail trade group is included among vocal critics against the plastic bag ban Chicago.
The state retail trade group is Illinois Retail Merchants Association and they said that there are so many exemptions the environmental impact will be small but the burden on impacted retailers and their customers will be big because of the plastic bag ban Chicago.
A plastic-bag-maker trade organization named American Progressive Bag Alliance has also argued against the plastic bag ban Chicago. The Sun-Times reports the executive director of the American Progressive Bag Alliance saying, "The plastic bag industry remains opposed to any bag ban proposal in Chicago. This latest version will do nothing to reduce litter or waste but it does continue to threaten the jobs of thousands of Illinois bag manufacturing workers and impose significant additional cost on big box retailers who seek to do business in the city of Chicago."
The plastic bag ban Chicago has the City Hall under both the Daley and Emanuel administrations becoming more prudent on the various proposals for the plastic bag ban Chicago. Those who violate the plastic bag ban Chicago will be made to pay fines ranging from $300 to $500.
What are the pros and cons of the plastic bag ban Chicago to the city or to any city for that matter?
CONS OF PLASTIC BAG BAN CHICAGO:
1. Low production costs as few chemicals are needed to make plastic bags
2. Production of plastic requires little energy and generates low emissions
3. Plastic bags are lightweight but high strength
4. Plastic bags are resistant to water and chemicals
5. Plastic bags are easy to process
6. Fundamentally, they are recyclable
PROS OF PLASTIC BAG BAN CHICAGO:
1. Most plastic bags are only used once
2. The raw material used in producing plastic bags is crude oil, and this is a finite resource
3. It takes hundreds of years before plastic bags rot
4. When plastic waste gets into the sea, they immediately affect human what humans eat
5. Corn grown for bioplastic production instantly reduce the land available the food of humans and animals
Ultimately, the plastic bag ban Chicago and plastic bans in all other cities may not seem productive in the immediate future, but when one looks at the big picture, the banning plastics will benefit future generations to come.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
