in.gredients

Following five years of discussion, an ordinance banning single-use paper and plastic bags in Austin passed at 2AM CST today.

According to The Daily Texan, “the ordinance will take effect March 1, 2013 and will prohibit plastic bags and paper bags from being distributed by retailers within Austin city limits. City council will continue to discuss specifics of the ban, and amendments are still possible.”

Way to go, Austin! The city’s new ordinance reflects in.gredients‘ “precycle” approach – reduce, reuse, then recycle – and gets the city closer to its 2040 goal of being “zero waste.”