Carryout Bag Ordinance

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Project Summary

City Council has directed staff to draft an ordinance proposal to require that merchants charge a fee to customers for all carryout bags. Customers would pay a fee for any plastic, paper, compostable or reusable bags received when making a purchase. Staff are seeking public feedback to inform this ordinance proposal.

The proposed ordinance seeks to:

  • Require that merchants charge $0.05 for all carryout bags
  • Fee is kept by retailer, used at their discretion
  • To assess ordinance effectiveness, businesses report annually to the City:
    • number and type of bags purchased and distributed to customers, and fee amount collected.

Project Background

In 2022, City Council approved a work plan initiative for Edina's resident volunteer Energy & Environment Commission (EEC) to “Revise and update EEC’s 2017 report on possible recommendations for a plastic bag ordinance” with a deliverable of an “updated report with recommendation.”

The EEC recommended to City Council at their February 7, 2023 meeting that "the City require that merchants charge a $.05 fee to customers for carryout bags. EEC asks Council to direct staff to write an ordinance that updates City Code to include this requirement and implement an outreach plan to inform residents and businesses of this requirement." Council received this recommendation and directed staff to draft an ordinance and seek public feedback.

You can read both EEC reports in the "Helpful Documents" section on the right-hand side of this page.

Join the Conversation

City staff are seeking public feedback to inform an ordinance recommendation to City Council. Here are ways you can share your input:

  • Take the 10-minute survey below, called "Carryout Bag Ordinance Feedback Survey", open until May 15.
  • RSVP below for a one-hour virtual roundtable discussions to collect feedback in May. The roundtable discussions will be held:
    • 7:30 a.m. Friday, May 5, for the business community
    • 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, for residents
    • 11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 11, for anyone interested in the initiative (residents and business representatives)

Project Summary

City Council has directed staff to draft an ordinance proposal to require that merchants charge a fee to customers for all carryout bags. Customers would pay a fee for any plastic, paper, compostable or reusable bags received when making a purchase. Staff are seeking public feedback to inform this ordinance proposal.

The proposed ordinance seeks to:

  • Require that merchants charge $0.05 for all carryout bags
  • Fee is kept by retailer, used at their discretion
  • To assess ordinance effectiveness, businesses report annually to the City:
    • number and type of bags purchased and distributed to customers, and fee amount collected.

Project Background

In 2022, City Council approved a work plan initiative for Edina's resident volunteer Energy & Environment Commission (EEC) to “Revise and update EEC’s 2017 report on possible recommendations for a plastic bag ordinance” with a deliverable of an “updated report with recommendation.”

The EEC recommended to City Council at their February 7, 2023 meeting that "the City require that merchants charge a $.05 fee to customers for carryout bags. EEC asks Council to direct staff to write an ordinance that updates City Code to include this requirement and implement an outreach plan to inform residents and businesses of this requirement." Council received this recommendation and directed staff to draft an ordinance and seek public feedback.

You can read both EEC reports in the "Helpful Documents" section on the right-hand side of this page.

Join the Conversation

City staff are seeking public feedback to inform an ordinance recommendation to City Council. Here are ways you can share your input:

  • Take the 10-minute survey below, called "Carryout Bag Ordinance Feedback Survey", open until May 15.
  • RSVP below for a one-hour virtual roundtable discussions to collect feedback in May. The roundtable discussions will be held:
    • 7:30 a.m. Friday, May 5, for the business community
    • 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, for residents
    • 11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 11, for anyone interested in the initiative (residents and business representatives)

  • Public Input Process Results

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    From mid-April to early June 2023, the City of Edina sought broad-based public feedback from Edina residents and businesses regarding the potential carryout bag fee ordinance. The report summarizing the public input received is now available, and can be reviewed by downloading from the "Helpful Documents" section of this web page.

Page last updated: 08 Nov 2023, 01:04 PM