A new Tennessee bill introduced by Senator Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville) would no longer allow stores to give out disposable bags.

The proposal says grocery stores, retail stores and others should no longer be allowed to give free paper or plastic bags to customers.

WVLT News spoke with Briggs who said Americans have an addiction to plastics.

"The truth of the matter is just like the opiate crisis, we are really addicted to plastics," Briggs said.

He hopes the ban would help prevent plastics from ending up in the Tennessee River and other places they shouldn't.

"The Tennessee River is one of the most bio-diverse rivers in the world, yet it seems to be the most plastic polluted river in the world," Briggs said.

Kroger shoppers have mixed reviews of the bill.

"It's very hard to keep them clean if you take your groceries in those reusable ones," one shopper said. "I would rather recycle these which we do than use ones that you bring back to the store that might have bacteria in them."

Another thinks its a step in the right direction.

"I think people should get on board with it," Leslie Stoner said. "I think it's a really good idea to try to eliminate the waste that we have."

The Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association released a statement about the bill.

“Our association’s retail grocer members hold diverse views on the proposed legislation. Some see it is a positive progressive move and support it. Some – like Kroger – are already moving toward phasing out plastic bags. And some do not want to disappoint their customers, who are accustomed to being given bags in which to carry their groceries home. Because of these divergent views within our membership, the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association takes a neutral position on the bill.”

Kroger has already announced it plans to phase out plastic bags by 2025

In 2019, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill that would ban local governments from regulating certain plastic bags and utensils.

Eleven other states have already enacted similar so-called "bans on bans," according to the Associated Press.