AUSTIN, Texas -- The City of Austin is developing a new program to work with retailers after the Texas Supreme Court struck down plastic bag bans.
In a memo to the City Council, the interim director of Austin Resource Recovery said that none of the eight large Austin retailers they contacted are planning to immediately start using plastic bags.
Two of the retailers said that they did not even know that they could begin using plastic bags.
Austin Resource Recovery said it will develop a program to encourage retailers to minimize plastic bag use. The agency is also looking for ways to reduce waste from plastic straws.
CONTINUING COVERAGE:
• Austin leaders respond to Texas Supreme Court ruling’s impact on bag ordinance
• AG Paxton warns 11 Texas cities their bag bans are illegal