Cuyahoga County Council banned single-use plastic bags with an 8 to 3 party-line vote Tuesday evening, requiring businesses to offer reusable or paper bags to retail customers.
The ordinance is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2020. It was originally drafted for Oct. 1 of this year, but councilmembers agreed businesses needed more time to prepare.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to solve the entire plastic pollution problem by banning plastic bags,鈥� said Democratic Councilwoman Sunny Simon, who sponsored the measure. 鈥淗owever, it鈥檚 a huge start and it鈥檚 going to make a big difference.鈥�
Republican Councilman Jack Schron, who voted against the ban, said many people already reuse plastic bags 鈥� for example, to pick up dog waste and line trash cans.
The measure is intended to reduce plastic litter in the waterways, protect wildlife and keep storm drains clear of obstructions.
Businesses will receive a written warning from the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs after a first violation. The county will impose a $100 fine for a second violation and $500 fines for subsequent infringements.
The ordinance does not apply to plastic bags used for newspapers, prescription drugs, perishable food, dry cleaning, garbage, yard waste or restaurant takeout. Customers may use plastic bags they have brought to the store themselves.
The ban received support from environmentalists and the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland. Backers spoke in favor of the measure .
Jeff Heinen, who co-owns Heinen鈥檚 Fine Foods with his brother, Tom, opposed the measure. At a council meeting earlier this month, he argued that paper bags carry an environmental and economic cost of their own.
鈥淭he answer isn鈥檛 paper versus plastic. It鈥檚 really an answer about singular-use bags and using reusable bags,鈥� . 鈥淏anning plastic bags may make you feel like you鈥檙e solving a problem, but environmentally, you鈥檙e really treating a symptom and not