City Council Plastic Bag Battle A Big Bust

By ABC-7 Reporter Martin Bartlett

EL PASO — City Council went back to the drawing board on the proposed ordinance to reduce the use of plastic grocery bags.

Turns out City Council asked the environmental services department to study the issue about six months ago.

Eastside City Representative Eddie Holguin, Jr., then asked why the council should pass an ordinance that did essentially the same thing just on an accelerated time table.

That’s what prompted council to delete the item from the agenda altogether.

That original study should be completed in about six months.

Plastic bags are among the most prevalent and visible sources of litter in el Paso.

That’s why the city is considering doing what ever it can — even including banning the bags — to get them out of El Paso trees, fences and cacti.

“You need to have a community that’s presentable not only to tourists but also to those who would invest in your community — and people aren’t going to invest in a dirty community,” Eastside City Representative Steve Ortega said.

Ortega sponsored Tuesday’s agenda item.