14 DAY TRIAL // Researchers have for some time now been going on and on about how plastic bags are bad for the environment and for wildlife.
As surprising as this may sound, it turns out that there are some folks in this world who have paid close attention to these researchers' mumblings.
Thus, media reports say that, this past Wednesday, the city of Chicago in the United States moved to implement a ban on the use of plastic shopping bags. Specifically, it was just yesterday that the proposal passed with a vote of 36-10.
Huffington Post informs that, should things go as planned, Chicago's ban on plastic shopping bags will come into effect in August 2015. At first, the new policy will only target retailers whose occupied stores are over 10,000 square feet (roughly 930 square meters).
However, starting August 2016, smaller chain stores and franchises will also be required by law to no longer offer their customers plastic bags, the same source details. By the looks of it, small independent and non-franchise stores have nothing to worry about.
In all fairness, retailers can go on offering plastic shopping bags to their customers. The problem is that, if they do, they risk fines of $300-$500 (approximately €216-€361) every time they are caught.