Metro city becomes the latest to ban single-use plastic bags

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — Those plastic grocery bags that keep piling up in your house are now banned in a local city.

Starting Monday, all retailers in the city of South Fulton are now required to use only recyclable bags. One-time plastic carryout bags are now banned.

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Shoppers like Sherese Sutton are happy to see all paper and no plastic at her favorite Kroger off Cascade Road.

“I was so happy to see that because thinking to myself always running to the grocery store and accumulate so many plastic bags,” Sutton told Channel 2′s Steve Gelhbach.

Kroger has switched over completely to all paper bags. Down the road though, Gehlbach found plenty of plastic still at Walmart and Publix stories.

The ordinance originally passed in 2019 and wasn’t supposed to begin until the fall of 2020. However due to the pandemic, South Fulton delayed it another six months to give stores plenty of time to switch over.

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Councilmember Carmalitha Gumbs proposed and pushed for the change to help make the city more environmentally friendly.

Gumbs said city code enforcement will check for compliance, but there’s no fine for businesses yet.

“At this time there no penalties. But I’m not saying at some time we will not impose them in the future…no more as educational tool,” she said.

Gehlbach checked the wording in the new ordinance and only the carryout bags are banned. Straws and plastic cups like ones available at a fast food restaurant and dry-cleaner bags are exempt.

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