Five months ago, Austin cashiers stopped asking, 鈥淧aper or plastic?鈥� And since then, Austin retailers and customers have adjusted to the city ordinance
However, the argues banning plastic bags does more harm than good.
About a week before the bag ban took effect, the TRA against the City of Austin seeking a trial regarding the ordinance鈥檚 legality. The TRA argues the ban violates the state Health and Safety Code.
But so far, the petition hasn鈥檛 gone anywhere.
鈥淲e have been pushing to try and get a schedule for briefing and then a hearing, and the city has offered up a number of reasons why they were not in a hurry to get to a trial,鈥� says TRA president Ronnie Volkening. 鈥淭hey cited the legislative session that was going on through May as one reason why they were not in a hurry.鈥�
Volkening says he believes there will be a hearing in the next couple of months.
If the courts rules in favor of the Texas Retailers Association, Volkening said Texas cities should consider alternatives to the bag ban, like a voluntary recycling program. But in the meantime, another Texas city is following Austin鈥檚 lead: according to the Associated Press, a plan to ban disposable plastic bags.
