The city of Elgin is taking steps to reduce single-use plastics and overall waste in our community. Following a recommendation from the Sustainability Commission, the city is focusing on minimizing use of plastic checkout bags as a practical starting point for encouraging behavior change. These bags are among the most visible, commonly used, and easily replaceable single-use items.
On March 11, City Council approved an ordinance to ban single-use plastic checkout bags at certain large retailers in Elgin. The ordinance will not take effect until June 2027, allowing time for public education and for businesses and residents to prepare.
The ordinance will:
- Ban the distribution of single-use plastic checkout bags at applicable retail establishments.
- Require a minimum fee of 10¢ per paper bag provided at checkout.
- Require all paper checkout bags contain at least 40% post-consumer recycled content.
This effort is an important step toward reducing waste and supporting a more sustainable Elgin community.
- Retailers: Applies to retail stores in Elgin.
- Exemptions: Restaurants, small non-chain retailers, pop-up shops, and gas stations.
- Customers: Applies to all retail customers.
- Exemptions: SNAP, WIC, and similar food assistance program recipients would be fee exempt.
- Banned: Single-use plastic checkout bags.
- Allowed with fee: Paper bags (made with at least 40% recycled content).
- Allowed without fee: Bags brought by customers.
- Other exempt bags would include:
- Bags for bulk items, frozen foods, flowers/damp items, bakery goods, greeting cards, or prescription drugs.
- Bags sold in multi-packs, garment/laundry/newspaper bags, door-hanger bags.
- Bags used for online/delivery orders, or with permanently affixed liners.
- Fee: 10¢ per paper bag, retained by the retailer.
- Restrictions: Retailers would not be allowed to rebate or reimburse the fee.
- Exemptions: Customers using SNAP, WIC, or similar food assistance programs would not be charged.
- Signage: Retailers would be required to display signs alerting customers to the plastic bag ban and paper bag fee.
- Compliance: Retailers that do not comply with the ordinance would be subject to fines.
- Recordkeeping: Retailers would be required to keep accurate records of paper bag fees collected.
Both plastic and paper bags have environmental, health, and societal costs. By reducing reliance on single-use bags and encouraging reusable options, we can conserve resources, cut pollution, and build more sustainable habits in Elgin.
Impacts of Single-Use Bags include:
- Overproduction: Plastic production has more than doubled in the last two decades. Plastic shopping bags rank among the most used single-use plastic items globally.
- Recycling limitations: Only about 9% of plastics are recycled worldwide. Most end up in landfills, incinerators, or as litter.
- Pollution: Littered bags block storm drains, harm wildlife, and break down into tiny pieces called microplastics. Microplastics stay in the environment for centuries and contaminate our soil, waterways and air.
- Climate impact: Plastics are made from fossil fuels. If current trends continue, plastics could account for 20% of global oil use by 2050.
While paper bags decompose more easily than plastic, they still carry a significant environmental footprint:
- Production: Requires cutting down trees and consumes large amounts of water and energy.
- Emissions: Manufacturing and transporting paper bags generates greenhouse gas emissions.
- Single-use design: Like plastic, most paper bags are used only once—quickly wasting the resources required to produce them.
Sources:
Our World in Data - Plastic Pollution
Geneva Environment Network - Plastic Production and Industry
UNEP Life Cycle Approach - Addressing Single-Use Plastic Products Pollution
Your Feedback
Your input helped shape the ordinance—thank you!
Common support expressed:
- Reduce litter and plastic pollution
- Protect wildlife and waterways
- Public health concerns (microplastics)
- Align with Climate Action Plan
- Support for decisive action
Common concerns expressed:
- Added customer costs
- Equity impacts
- Competitive disadvantage
- Reuse of plastic bags
- Paper bag fee concerns
- Preference for statewide consistency
- Customer interactions with store staff
Staff considered all submitted feedback to inform their decisions.
