Nov. 2—Albuquerque is closing a loophole in its plastic bag ban.
The city's Solid Waste Department announced Monday afternoon that it was updating the rules within its Clean and Green Ordinance to prohibit some of the thicker plastic bags retailers are now distributing at checkout because they technically comply with the law.
Environmental advocates and even some city councilors had been pushing Mayor Tim Keller's administration to address the heavier bags that some stores rolled out when the ban first took effect Jan. 1, 2020.
The issue became temporarily moot in March 2020 when the pandemic prompted Keller to suspend enforcement of the ordinance, but arose again this summer when his administration reinstated the ban.
The newly announced change, which takes effect Dec. 1, is in how the city defines single-use plastic bags. The ban had previously only covered bags less than 2.25 mils thick. One mil equals 0.0254 millimeters.
Under the new rules, stores may only provide plastic bags at checkout if they meet the definition of "reusable carryout bag," meaning they have stitched handles, are "specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse," and are over 4 mils thick.
The ban still does not apply to restaurants or dry cleaners.
City Councilor Diane Gibson — who co-sponsored the ordinance and had been critical of the thicker bags that emerged to circumvent it — said it was a welcome update.
"This is a step in the right direction," she said.