Missouri Mo. Β§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. Β§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
Missouri Mo. Β§260.288 preempts local bans on auxiliary containers, including polystyrene foam foodware. St. Louis cannot prohibit foam cups, plates, or clams...
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis provides single-stream curbside or alley recycling for city-serviced residences at no additional fee. Accepted materials include paper, cardboard, ...
See how St. Louis's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.