Ohio Legislature stands up for plastic

The Ohio House of Representatives last week approved a bill that, if passed, will prevent local governments, including cities, counties and townships, from adopting legislation that would tax or ban the use of “auxiliary containers,” including single-use plastic bags.

State Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, who represents the 94th District (containing most of Athens), voted in favor of the bill.

Critics say the measure limits the “home rule” authority of municipal governments, which the state constitution generally permits. Those who support the bill, however, argue that it establishes consistency across the state, and that unnecessary bans and taxes on plastic bags could hurt businesses.

Athens City Council did consider implementing its own 10-cent fee on single-use plastic and paper bags in 2016, though that plan ultimately resulted in a compromise legislation focused on encouraging consumers to recycle and reuse bags. Since then, the international market for recyclable single-use plastic bags has virtually collapsed, and many local recycling programs, including the Athens-Hocking Recycling Centers (AHRC), are no longer accepting “film plastics” (which include single-use plastic shopping bags).

Read more: https://www.athensnews.com/news/local/ohio-legislature-stands-up-for-plastic/article_58b728cc-f66a-11e8-9d41-ff8a0591e1e3.html