Minneapolis delays enforcement of plastic bag fee, citing pandemic

June 26, 2020 at 2:08AM
Alec Voight bagged customers groceries at Kowalski's in Minneapolis on March 9, 2017. The Minneapolis City Council is delaying enforcement of its plastic bag fee in response to the COVID pandemic.
Alec Voight bagged customers groceries at Kowalski's in Minneapolis on March 9, 2017. The Minneapolis City Council is delaying enforcement of its plastic bag fee in response to the COVID pandemic. (Star Tribune file/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Minneapolis businesses will have three more months before they must start charging a nickel fee for one-time-use bags.

The city's elected leaders passed a new ordinance last year that requires most retailers to charge customers a 5-cent fee for single-use paper or plastic bags.

Although the new rule has been on the books since Jan. 1, the city had said it intended to spend the first six months of year focusing on educating businesses rather than citing them for violating the requirement.

City spokeswoman Sarah McKenzie said this week that the city has decided to suspend enforcement until Oct. 1 because of the pandemic.

The ordinance was designed to reduce waste and litter. In recent months, some businesses have decided to prohibit customers from bringing in reusable bags, in hopes that it will minimize the chances of spreading the virus.

Liz Navratil

about the writer

Liz Navratil

Higher education reporter

Liz Navratil covers higher education for the Star Tribune. She spent the previous three years covering Minneapolis City Hall as leaders responded to the coronavirus pandemic and George Floyd’s murder.

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