The City of Austin’s carryout bag ordinance regulates the types of bags that businesses can provide customers at checkout and encourages a shift to reusable bags. The new rules apply to all businesses in Austin that provide carryout bags to their customers: grocery and convenience stores, department stores, restaurants, hardware stores, bookstores, local retailers and national chains.
Bag Standards for the City of Austin
Under the new ordinance, businesses can provide any of these reusable bag options at checkout:
- Cloth, fabric or other woven bags.
- Plastic bags that are at least 4 mil thick, with handles. (“1 mil” is .001 inch.)
- Paper bags made of at least 40% recycled content, with handles. At least 80% recycled content required by March 1, 2014. Handles are not required for paper bags that are smaller than 8” wide and 14” tall.
Trophy Paper is aware of this new change to our industry in regards to the City of Austin and can assist you with making changes suitable to your retail packaging needs.
Links
City of Austin Ordinance Website
City of Austin Tool Kit for Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance