Let cities ban the bag and stop plastic pollution

On Mar. 5, Rep. Drew Springer of Muenster, Texas filed HB 2416 to stop Austin and other cities from prohibiting plastic bags. The same bags we use to help us move groceries for a few minutes end up polluting our environment for hundreds of years. They sit in landfills, litter streets, choke wildlife and clog our streams. This is why Austin, Brownsville, Fort Stockton and South Padre Island have passed ordinances restricting single use plastic bags. Banning these wasteful bags and making the transition to reusable bags will significantly cut down on the amount of trash our cities produce, protect wildlife and keep our waterways cleaner. We support Texas cities' responsible choice to ban disposable bags. Nothing we use for a few minutes should pollute our environment for hundreds. It just makes sense. The Legislature should reject this bill and let cities decide for themselves how to handle solid waste.