Atlanta

Atlanta City Council votes to ban plastic at ALL city buildings - including airport

ATLANTA — Get ready to say goodbye to plastic straws, utensils and bags at Atlanta's airport.

The Atlanta City Council voted Monday afternoon to ban single-use plastics at all city buildings. That includes Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

The bill will now head to Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for her approval. If she approves, the ban won't go into effect until December 2020.

Channel 2's Dave Huddleston has been following the proposal since Councilman Amir Farokhi first introduced it in August.

"As the city pushes toward a more sustainable existence, this is one thing we can do to lead the way," Farokhi said.

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Not everyone is behind the ban. Opponents say it will cost companies more to produce alternatives to plastics. But Farokhi says the costs pale in comparison to the impact on the environment.

"This is the responsible thing to do. It's a small but meaningful step to take to reduce the reliance on products derived by fossil fuels," he said.

Farokhi also said city leaders will speak with grocery stores about banning plastic bags.

"It's voluntary. We are asking the city to be proactive and collaborative on this issue," he said. "There's no requirement that this expands beyond the city at this time."

If the mayor approves, the airport and city building ban won't take effect until December 2020, giving everyone involved a chance to swap out plastic for new alternatives.

Huddleston spoke with a few passengers at the airport about the ban.

Marlee and Kaylee Maneri understand banning one time plastics like straws, bags and utensils. But Marlee Maneri says, no one has yet to come up with a good alternative for consumers.

"Paper ones disintegrate. I think we've tried bamboo ones. They also don't do a very good job," she said. "You end up eating some paper, so I'm not sure what they would provide as an alternative."

"​​​​​​I'm curious how people will eat at the airport if there is no silverware. Obviously, there's a way around straws, but everyone is hungry at the airport when they land," Kaylee Maneri said.