Tag Archives: plastic bags

Austin drops its bag ban

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

What choice did they have? The City of Austin says it will no longer enforce a ban on single-use plastic bags at most retail outlets, following a state Supreme Court ruling last month that struck down Laredo’s bag ban. The … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Supreme Court affirms trashing Laredo’s plastic bag ban

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Not really a surprise. The Texas Supreme Court handed a loss to local government on Friday, striking down a Laredo ban on plastic bags. The decision imperils about a dozen other cities’ bans across the state. In a decision viewed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Supreme Court hears bag ban arguments

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Hoping for the best, but not really expecting it. In the case Laredo Merchants Association v. The City of Laredo, lawyers spent almost an hour arguing whether Laredo’s 2015 ban was illegal under state law. If the Republican-led court rules … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council approves new recycling deal

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Huzzah! Houston residents are set to have their used glass and plastic bags picked up for recycling at curbside, but not until next year. The 20-year, $37 million agreement City Council approved Wednesday is the product of two years of wrangling over recycling and … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton seeks to overturn all local bag ban laws

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s up to the Supreme Court to decide whether he gets it or not. Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday filed paperwork urging the Texas Supreme Court to eliminate plastic bag bans across Texas, including Austin’s. Paxton is seeking for … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Greg Abbott wants to kill off cities

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the only way to describe it. As state lawmakers gather for their biennial session this spring, they’re weighing whether to rein in localities that ban plastic grocery bags, extend civil rights protections to LGBTQ residents, discourage cooperation with federal … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Galveston wants a bag ban

Posted on December 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck. Reacting to a groundswell of concern about the effect of plastic bags on the environment, Galveston is on the forefront of a statewide controversy over cities’ ability to ban plastic bags that are killing turtles, birds and fouling … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Paxton sues Brownsville over bag fee

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Of course he does. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is wading into another fight over local control; this one about plastic bags at grocery stores. The Republican on Wednesday sued the city of Brownsville over its $1 per-bag fee, started … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Laredo plastic bag ban overturned

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. The Fourth Court of Appeals on Wednesday sided with merchants and free-market groups who argued that Laredo’s ban on single-use bags is illegal because it is pre-empted by state law regulating solid waste disposal. The 2-1 ruling overturned a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Plastic bag litigation update

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This could be a big deal. Is a plastic bag a container? Does the definition of “solid waste management” include litter control? If a state appeals court answers yes to both of those questions, regulations on plastic bags in several … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Plastic bag litigation update

It’s hard out here on a recycler, part 2

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As if they didn’t have enough to deal with. As low commodity prices have left recyclers short on cash to invest in technological upgrades, product manufacturers are coming out with new types of packaging that make business even tougher. These … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on It’s hard out here on a recycler, part 2

Bill to outlaw non-discrimination ordinances filed

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From The Observer: A Fort Bend County Republican has introduced a bill that would bar cities from adopting or enforcing non-discrimination ordinances that include protected classes not contained in state law. Texas law doesn’t include sexual orientation or gender identity … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Plastic bag bans work

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Someone tell Greg Abbott. Shortly before being sworn in as governor, Greg Abbott called for doing away with local bans on plastic bags, fracking and tree-cutting that he says amount to a “patchwork quilt of bans and rules and regulations … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Plastic bag bans work

2015 Mayoral manifesto: Quality of life and other issues

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Preliminaries Transportation Public safety A few quick hits on topics that didn’t fit elsewhere. Making Houston affordable again Remember when Houston was an inexpensive place to live? If you haven’t been here at least a decade – more like two … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Local control, schmocal control

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Lisa Falkenberg: So, let me get this straight. Government is the problem, not the solution. It’s a bumbling bureaucracy run by tyrants, cronies and other self-important suits who think they know better than you or I how to live … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Wake me up in June

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As we prepare for the 84th Legislative session to begin, let’s pause for a moment and see what we can expect. Greg Abbott wants to make the world safe for plastic bags. Dan Patrick wants to cut his property taxes, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Wake me up in June

Plastic bag makers fight back

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I expect they will be busy during the legislative session working to block municipal laws that tax, limit, or ban single-use plastic bags. For years, Superbag in northwest Houston quietly manufactured the sacks that grocers and retail chains hand out … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Plastic bag makers fight back

Bag fees versus bag bans

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. If you live in Washington, you know the drill: After bagging your groceries, the checkout machine asks you how many bags you used. And if you used plastic or disposable bags (rather than bags you brought on your own), … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Abbott issues bag ban opinion

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s complicated. Do plastic bag bans and restrictions in cities like Austin, Laredo, and Brownsville violate Texas law? According to an opinion issued by Attorney General Greg Abbott’s office handed down on Friday afternoon, that depends on how you define … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott issues bag ban opinion

San Antonio has begun curbside recycling of plastic bags

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As of August 1, to be exact. “We are starting with a new recycling processor that can accept the bags so that allows us to add it to the list of items we can accept,” [Solid Waste Management Department Public … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on San Antonio has begun curbside recycling of plastic bags

SA City Council to begin the plastic bag debate

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I look forward to seeing what direction they go. City staffers Wednesday plan to recommend to the City Council’s Governance Committee that San Antonio move forward with a ban on single-use plastic and paper bags. The recommendation comes after vetting … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SA City Council to begin the plastic bag debate

Dallas adopts plastic bag fee

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

A fee, not a ban. Stores in Dallas will charge customers five cents for most kinds of plastic or paper carryout bags, under a measure approved Wednesday by the City Council. At the urging of council member Dwaine Caraway, the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

AG opinion sought on bag bans

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. As proponents continue to tout the benefits of banning plastic bags, the debate over whether Texas cities like Austin actually have the ability to enact such ordinances has made its way to the attorney general’s office. In a letter … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

San Antonio plastic bag ban update

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an update on the city of San Antonio’s effort to regulate plastic bag usage, which may include a ban. It’s written by San Antonio City Council member Cris Medina, who is the point person for the effort. Late last … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

San Antonio begins plastic bag ban consideration

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I very much look forward to seeing how this goes. San Antonio spends about $1.3 million annually cleaning up plastic bags, while an estimated $25 million is spent across the state, [District 7 Councilman Cris] Medina’s Council Consideration Request says. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Bag ban update

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Having survived legislative meddling, bag bans are back on the agenda in Texas cities. Six months after Austin’s ban on most disposable plastic and paper bags took effect at checkout counters across the city, political fights are raging in Laredo and Dallas … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

From the “What’s it to you”? department

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Freshman Rep. Drew Springer likes meddling in other people’s business. Austin’s recycling director urged the Legislature on Wednesday night to allow the city’s plastic bag ordinance to continue without state interference. Bob Gedert, director of Austin Resource Recovery, told the … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Austin bag ban lawsuit filed

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This bears watching. The Texas Retailers Association is suing the city of Austin over a disposable bag ban set to take effect [today], saying the ban violates state law and should be tossed out. The ban will prohibit all Austin … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The dumbest plastic bag argument I’ve seen so far

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This story is about the city of San Francisco rolling out a new ordinance intended to further limit the use of disposable bags by retailers. I’ve heard a variety of arguments against the different versions of this kind of law, … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Seattle bans plastic bags

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Spotted this while we were in Portland. Those ubiquitous, single-use plastic bags will no longer be available at checkout counters at grocery and retail stores across Seattle starting Sunday. The ban intended to cut down on pollution requires grocers and … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Tyson Sowell: The Problem of Single-Use Bags

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from a series of guest posts that I will be presenting over the next few weeks. On Wednesday, June 20, Houston City Council approved a budget amendment to “address littering by plastic bags or phasing out plastic … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Council defers on strip club fee

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Tagged for a week. Consideration of a $5-per-head fee on customers of strip clubs to pay for reducing the city’s backlog of untested rape kits has been delayed for a week. Council members Melissa Noriega and Al Hoang both tagged … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Budget amendment time

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Now that Mayor Parker has formally submitted her proposed budget for fiscal year 2013, it’s time for Council members to submit their amendments for consideration. I’m going to start at the bottom of the story with the two proposals that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Austin bans bags

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

They go farther than other cities have gone. At 2 a.m. [Friday], the Austin City Council passed one of the broadest bag laws in the nation, agreeing to ban disposable paper and plastic bags at all retail checkout counters starting … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments