Single-Use Items in Travis County, TX (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Travis County, Texas.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Travis County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Plastic Bag Rules

Travis County cannot ban plastic carryout bags after the 2018 Texas Supreme Court decision in Laredo Merchants v. City of Laredo, which struck local bag bans as preempted by the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act.

Plastic Bag Bans Preempted in Texas

Few Restrictions

Tex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 361.0961

Sec. 361.0961. RESTRICTIONS ON AUTHORITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION. (a) A local government or other political subdivision may not adopt an ordinance, rule, or regulation to: (1) prohibit or restrict, for solid waste management purposes, the sale or use of a container or package in a manner not authorized by state law; (2) prohibit or restrict the processing of solid was...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Polystyrene Foam Rules

Travis County cannot ban polystyrene foam containers because the same TX HSC 361.0961 preemption confirmed by Laredo Merchants v. Laredo applies to all solid waste containers, not just plastic bags.

Polystyrene Foam Restrictions Preempted

Few Restrictions

Tex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 361.0961

Sec. 361.0961. RESTRICTIONS ON AUTHORITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION. (a) A local government or other political subdivision may not adopt an ordinance, rule, or regulation to: (1) prohibit or restrict, for solid waste management purposes, the sale or use of a container or package in a manner not authorized by state law; (2) prohibit or restrict the processing of solid was...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Plastic Straw Rules

Travis County does not regulate plastic straws because TX HSC 361.0961 preempts local container restrictions; restaurants may voluntarily offer paper or upon-request straw service without local mandate.

Plastic Straw Rules in Travis County

Few Restrictions

Tex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 361.0961

Sec. 361.0961. RESTRICTIONS ON AUTHORITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION. (a) A local government or other political subdivision may not adopt an ordinance, rule, or regulation to: (1) prohibit or restrict, for solid waste management purposes, the sale or use of a container or package in a manner not authorized by state law; or (3) assess a fee or deposit on the sale or use of...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Single-Use Items by City in Travis County

1 cities in Travis County have their own single-use items rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.

AustinPop. 978,908

3 verified rules • Plastic Bag Rules, Polystyrene Foam Rules

All Travis County ordinances

See every category we cover for Travis County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.

Travis County Ordinance Hub →