Oregon legislature sends ban on single-use plastic bags to Governor’s desk

Media Contacts

Environment Oregon

PORTLAND—Today, House Bill 2509 (also known as the Sustainable Shopping Initiative) cleared its final hurdle in the Oregon legislature when it passed the Oregon Senate with a vote of 17-12. Intended to fight plastic pollution and reduce the use of single-use plastics in Oregon, HB 2509 would ban single-use plastic grocery bags and require a 5-cent fee on single-use paper bags. It now heads to the Governor’s desk for her signature.

In response, Environment Oregon state director Celeste Meiffren-Swango released the following statement:

“The Oregon Legislature just took a major step to reduce plastic waste by passing a statewide ban on single-use plastic grocery bags. Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing issues facing Oregon’s rivers, oceans, and wildlife. Single-use plastics inevitably end up in our waterways and on our beaches, and this pollution is damaging our ecosystems and endangering public health.

Nothing we use for 10 minutes should be allowed to pollute our environment for hundreds of years. This bill follows the lead of over a dozen cities across our state and makes Oregon a national leader in preventing plastic pollution.

Oregon’s precious natural areas and wildlife have been threatened for too long by single-use plastics, and we are thrilled that the Oregon legislature has taken action. We look forward to Governor Kate Brown signing it into law.”

Topics