In a 3-to-1 vote, Bernalillo County commissioners on Tuesday approved a ban on single-use plastic bags and Styrofoam containers in the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County.
The ban, which only impacts areas outside the city limits of Albuquerque, goes into effect Jan. 1.
“This ordinance is a small, first step in reducing the waste created in Bernalillo County by single-use plastic bags and Styrofoam containers,” said Commission Chair Maggie Hart Stebbins, in a statement. “Our children will live with the consequences of our use of these products and we owe it to future generations to adopt more sustainable practices.”
In April, the Albuquerque City Council approved its own ban on plastic bags.