Anchorage Ord. 2018-141 imposed a 10-cent fee per disposable single-use plastic and paper bag at retail checkout, effective September 2019. Alaska does not preempt local bag bans, leaving the rule fully enforceable.
The Anchorage Assembly passed Ord. 2018-141 in 2018, banning thin plastic carryout bags and applying a mandatory 10-cent pass-through fee on heavier reusable plastic and paper bags at all retail point-of-sale. The fee is shown on the receipt and retained by the retailer. Exemptions include bags for unwrapped produce, bulk bin items, prescription drugs, and SNAP/WIC purchases. The ordinance is administered by the MOA Solid Waste Services. Alaska has no statewide preemption, and 30+ Alaska communities have similar measures. The intent is litter reduction, especially in the windy Cook Inlet area where loose bags blow into wildlife habitat.
Retailers who fail to charge the 10-cent fee or who provide banned thin plastic carryout bags face notices of violation and fines under AMC Title 26 administrative penalties.
Anchorage, AK
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Anchorage, AK
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Anchorage, AK
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See how Anchorage's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
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