In Oregon, a few cities such as Portland, Corvallis, and McMinnville have made laws on bans regarding plastic bags. Recently, there had been talk Salem about getting rid of plastic bags as they are bad for the environment.
Plastic releases harmful chemicals into soil, which have been linked to cancers, birth defects, and other physical body issues. For animals, they kill thousands of ocean animals every year, they will mistake the bags as jellyfish. Animals are not able to digest the plastic once they have consumed it.
This ban will take place next year- April 1, 2019 for larger business and corporations and Sept. 1, 2019 for smaller businesses. Once the ban goes into effect, shoppers will either have to bring their own bags to these stores or pay a small fee for bags. However, customers with certain welfare benefits will not have to pay the fee and be offered an alternative to having to pay for bags.
Plastic bags that have vegetables, fruit, flowers, pharmaceuticals, meat, bulk items, and bakery goods will still be permitted.
The ordinance that passed this ban noted that not all plastic bags will be banned, “It includes compostable bags, biodegradable bags, and thicker plastic bags (e.g., 2.25 mils or 4.0 mils), but does not include reusable bags, recyclable paper bags, or bags exempted from the definition of carryout bag,”
