Plastic Bags Become Rarer In Chicago

(CBS) – Chicago’s ban on plastic bags at large retail stores takes effect Saturday.

Downtown shoppers hitting the stores and carrying off their goods in plastic bags are about to become history.

Cecil Driscoll is among them, just headed home from Target.

“For me, personally, I like the plastic bags to use in my little garbage can in the kitchen. It’s convenient, and you get them wherever you go,” he tells CBS 2’s Mike Parker.

Not anymore. Starting Saturday, the city of Chicago will prohibit larger stores from providing plastic bags to their customers. They’ll have to pack customers’ purchases in paper bags, or in reusable bags.

Jewel Osco stores plan to sell their heavy-duty reusable bags to their customers.

The City Council OK’d the new law because of the damage the old-style bags did to landfills and recycling equipment.

There’s still opposition from business. Cost is the issue.

“We can’t continue to put Chicago at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to businesses,” Michael Reever of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

Will dog owners be at a disadvantage when it comes to cleaning up after Fido, without those handy store bags? Apparently not. These items are available at pet stores.

Chicagoans won’t be able to escape to Evanston to avoid the plastic bag ban. The north suburb has a similar law taking effect this weekend.