CLEVELAND — Members of Cuyahoga County Council introduced legislationthat would ban the use of disposable plastic bags and non-recyclable bags by retailers in Cuyahoga County.
The legislation was introduced by councilmembers Sunny Simon and Dale Miller and it's on the agenda for Tuesday’s council meeting. The legislation mentions environmental concerns and how plastic has contributed to pollution in lakes, oceans and waterways.
The ban would not include a bag that a customer brought with them to a retail establishment. It would also not include a bag that holds a newspaper or a bag provided by a pharmacist that contains a prescription drug.
The written proposal also says a bag that a restaurant gives a customer for prepared or leftover food would not fall under the ban.
A permitted paper bag would have to be manufactured using materials that are 40% recycled and the bag would have to be 100% recyclable.
The disposable bag ban would go into effect on Oct. 1 and retail establishments within the county who are caught giving out disposable bags will be subject to a written warning for the first violation, a civil fine of up to $100 for a second violation and a $500 fine for each subsequent violation.
The ban would be enforced by the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs.
