Missouri Mo. §260.288 (2015) prohibits cities and counties from banning, taxing, or regulating the use of disposable plastic carryout bags. St. Louis cannot adopt a local plastic bag ban or fee.
In 2015 the Missouri General Assembly enacted Mo. §260.288, expressly preempting local ordinances that ban, tax, or impose fees on auxiliary containers, including single-use plastic bags, paper bags, and reusable bags supplied at retail. The statute was a response to several proposed Missouri city bag-ban measures. As a result, St. Louis cannot enforce a plastic bag ban or charge a per-bag fee, though it actively promotes voluntary recycling and reusable-bag programs through the Refuse Division and Sustainability Office. Litter still falls under general anti-litter provisions of Title XX, and retailers may voluntarily reduce bag use without conflict.
There is no city-level ban to violate. Any attempted local enforcement against retailers using plastic bags would conflict with state preemption.
St. Louis, MO
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St. Louis, MO
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