Bans on single-use plastic bags in Bexley and in Cuyahoga County are scheduled to take effect in January.
And Republican state lawmakers are ramping up efforts to prevent local governments from passing such ordinances. State Senator Michael Rulli sponsors Senate Bill 222:
A similar measure is pending in the Ohio House. Sarah Damron is with Surfrider Foundation, which advocates for clean water and healthy beaches. She says it should be the state that is taking action to reduce plastic pollution, instead of taking power from local communities:
Elissa Yoder Mann of the Ohio Sierra Club says the goal of the bans is to reduce plastic pollution and improve the environment. She says the state has 39.9 years of landfill waste capacity. And Mann questions who is behind these efforts:
Eight states have banned single-use plastic bags, while eight other states have laws preempting bans.
