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FAQs: Albuquerque bag ban

Thanks to so many of you, especially kid members of the Global Warming Express, both the city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County passed plastic bag bans that took effect January 1. Going bag-free reduces litter and the demand for oil and gas. The city provided us with a list of frequently asked questions that will help you navigate this change:

Which plastic bags are banned?

Any single-use plastic bag including compostable bags, less than 2.25 millimeters thick. This is equivalent to about two sheets of stacked copy paper.

Can’t we recycle plastic bags?

Plastic bags can’t be recycled in your blue cart. Plastic bags can be recycled in cardboard receptacles located at many local retail stores.

How will I carry my groceries home?

Switch to reusable bags. Some retailers give rebates to customers who bring their own bags. Others may charge a small fee to give you a paper bag.

Can restaurants provide bags?

Yes. The Albuquerque ordinance does not apply to food-service establishments.

I use plastic bags to pick up my pet’s waste. What will I use instead?

Local pet stores can sell waste bags. Existing pet-waste stations on trails and in parks will continue to provide plastic bags for discarding pet waste. (Sierra Club tip: We save our bread and tortilla bags to use for poop collection.)

How is the ban different in the city and in the county?

The main difference is that the County ban includes a foam food container ban.

I have a different question

Check out the County’s FAQ here – https://www.bernco.gov/planning/plastic-and-polystyrene-ban-faqs.aspx

The City’s FAQ here – http://www.cabq.gov/solidwaste/clean-and-green-retail-ordinance

Featured image from Wikipedia

FAQs: Albuquerque bag ban