The city of Elgin is exploring ways to reduce single-use items in the community. Elgin's Sustainability Commission has recommended that the city council consider adopting a Retail Single-Use Bag Ordinance that would ban the distribution of single-use plastic checkout bags and place a fee on paper bags.

Before any decision are made, city staff are seeking input from residents and businesses to help guide next steps. 

Under the draft ordinance:

• Retail establishments larger than 5,000 square feet would be prohibited from distributing single-use plastic checkout bags.
• A minimum fee of 10 cents would apply to each paper bag provided at checkout.
• All paper bags would be required to contain at least 40 percent post-consumer recycled content.

Community members are encouraged to take a short, three-minute survey to share their feedback on the city's Engage Elgin website at engage.elginil.gov/single-use-bags. This site also includes a project timeline, list of impacted retailers and a link to the full draft ordinance.

Paper copies of the survey and ordinance are available through December at:

• The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way
• City Hall, 150 Dexter Court
• Hawthorne Hill Nature Center, 28 Brookside Drive
• Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave.
• Gail Borden Rakow Branch, 2751 W. Bowes Road

“Engaging the community early in the process is important,” said Kristin Iftner, the city’s sustainability manager. “We want to hear from as many community members as possible, including residents, local business owners and large retailers, before any recommendation moves forward.”

The survey will remain open through December on the Engage Elgin website, where updates on the proposed ordinance will be posted.