Eagle Pass Plastic Bag Ban Ordinance Stricken By Texas Supreme Court in Laredo Case

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018

Eagle Pass Interim City Manager Ivan Morua stated in an interview with a foreign news media that the City of Eagle Pass Plastic Bag Ban Ordinance essentially has been stricken down and overruled by the Texas Supreme Court ruling in the Laredo Merchants Association v. City of Laredo case on Friday, June  22, 2018, wherein the Court unanimously ruled that the City of Laredo Plastic Bag Ban Ordinance conflicted with the State of Texas solid waste management law and overstepped State law, essentially banning all municipalities’ plastic bag ban ordinances.

Local reaction to the Texas Supreme Court’s ruling in the City of Laredo case has been mixed with some in favor and others against it. One local woman expressed relief to know that she will no longer have to carry her groceries in her arms or recyclable bags, missing the use of plastic bags for her groceries. Another woman expressed disappointment that the renewed use of plastic bags within the City of Eagle Pass will cause the return of littering of these plastic bags throughout the City. A local business stated that their retail customers complained about the ban of plastic bags and some even shopped outside the city limits in the county or out of town. One local citizen recommended that Eagle Passans should continue to use recyclable bags voluntarily in order to protect the cleanliness of the city streets from plastic bags and the environment.

Eagle Pass Interim City Manager Ivan Morua stated that the City Council will more than likely address the Texas Supreme Court ruling in the City of Laredo case in the near future at one of their meetings and possibly take action to rescind the City of Eagle Pass Plastic Bag Ban Ordinance after consultation with legal counsel.

Meanwhile, Eagle Pass retail businesses plan to resume issuing plastic bags to their customers while others are awaiting further instructions from their headquarters.