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Bend to ban plastic bags, joining other Oregon cities

The ban goes into effect beginning July 1.
Credit: KGW
KGW file photo of plastic grocery bags

BEND, Ore. (AP) — Bend, Oregon, will ban plastic bags beginning July 1.

The City Council in the central Oregon city voted 4 to 2 Wednesday night in favor of the ban.

The Bulletin reports meeting attendees, including a group of seventh- and eighth-grade girls from Pacific Crest Middle School who have spent months lobbying for a bag ban, broke into applause after Mayor Casey Roats cast the deciding vote.

Bag bans are already in place in Ashland, Corvallis, Eugene and Portland, and one will take effect in Salem next year.

The ban applies to plastic grocery bags only. Bags not included in the ban are those used for bulk items, including fruit, nuts and screws, for wrapping meat, fish, flowers or potted plants, and for holding bakery items or pharmacy prescriptions.

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