Denver City Council members are discussing the pros and cons of banning plastic shopping bags in the city.

City Council President Jolon Clark said the issue came up at a policy committee  last Wednesday as a potential way to help protect the environment and encourage people to use reusable bags.

At this point, there aren’t a lot of details on exactly what City Council would pursue or any semblance of a timeline since City Council would first need a nod of approval from the state.

The Colorado State Legislature passed a law in 1989 that stops local governments from passing a ban on plastic products. In order for City Council to move forward with this idea, the state would need to repeal this law.

A City Council legislative analyst put together a memo about similar bans already in effect across the country. The memo says, “By one count, approximately 350 cities currently ban or assess fees on plastic bag use. California and Hawaii also prohibit plastic bags statewide.”

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