Plastic Bag Ban Broadening Gaining Steam in Chicago

Last year, opposition from Mayor Rahm Emanuel derailed a San Francisco-style environmental crackdown that would have prohibited Chicago retailers with more than 5,000 square feet of floor space from putting their merchandise in plastic bags.

Now, the sponsor of that ordinance is making it even tougher, by including small retailers, and claiming he has the votes to approve the ban-the-bag ordinance, no matter what the mayor says, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

Ald. "Proco" Joe Moreno (1st) said the small-store exemption was dropped to attract more votes for the new version he introduced at Wednesday's City Council meeting.