The City of Austin says it will no longer enforce a ban on single-use plastic bags at most retail outlets, following a state Supreme Court ruling last month that struck down Laredo's bag ban.
The court ruled Laredo's ban was at odds with state law, but urged the Legislature to pass more specific laws to allow similar bans in the future.
The Texas Health and Safety Code says that local governments in Texas may not “prohibit or restrict, for solid waste management purposes, the sale or use of a container or package in a manner not authorized by state law.” Opponents of bag bans argued that language makes the bans illegal, and the court agreed, saying state lawmakers haven't effectively defined how plastic bags fit into that regulatory framework.
On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent letters to 11 cities and towns in the state with bag bans, telling them their ordinances are "illegal" and "unenforceable".
“Following the recent ruling from the Texas Supreme Court, the City will not enforce our current rules," a city spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "While it’s disappointing that the City is losing a tool to help protect the environment, we are also confident that the Austin community will continue to do their best to minimize plastic bag waste. Meanwhile, the City of Austin will continue to educate Austinites about the benefits of bringing reuseable bags with them every time they shop.”
Austin officials say prohibiting retailers from giving away disposable plastic bags helped reduce litter, save wildlife and stop bags from clogging up storm drains.
"The people of Austin have gotten used to this. Not a single job was lost. Not a single business was harmed," said Andrew Dobbs with Texas Campaign for the Environment. "We hope businesses and residents of this city will continue to do what works, regardless of what the Texas Supreme Court says."
In atweet Tuesday evening, the city's largest grocery chain, San Antonio-based HEB, said it "will thoughtfully evaluate the issue to ensure we’re making the best decisions for our customers and the communities we serve."
