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Sustainability board forwards plastic‑bag research to County Council for consideration
Summary
After reviewing environmental impacts, municipal precedents and local data on recycling contamination and retail bag use, the board voted to forward plastic‑bag research to County Council for consideration and further guidance and asked staff to seek additional local engagement and audit data.
The Los Alamos Environmental Sustainability Board on Oct. 16 voted to forward staff research on single‑use plastic bags to County Council "for consideration and further guidance," after a detailed staff presentation and board discussion about environmental impacts, local bag usage and potential policy options.
A staff presenter summarized prior citizen petitions, municipal precedents in New Mexico and environmental research on plastics. The presenter noted that while plastic bags are recyclable at drop‑off locations, they are not accepted in curbside recycling and that bags can photodegrade into microplastics and persist in landfills for long periods.
Local findings and financial estimates: The presenter told the board that the Los Alamos Smith's store "uses about 3.2 million bags per year" (presenter acknowledged the figure is approximate) and that White Rock previously implemented a 10¢ thicker‑plastic bag fee that was later dropped. Staff said local bag drop‑off programs send collected bags to regional warehouses in Phoenix, Las Vegas or Seattle and that the final disposal or recycling pathway beyond those warehouses was not confirmed.
On costs to the county, staff estimated the county will process roughly 1,500 tons of mixed recycling this year with an observed contamination rate near 17% (about 266 tons). At a cited contamination charge of $46 per ton, staff estimated contamination costs around $12,000 annually; staff cautioned that this figure covers all contamination types and is not a bag‑only cost.
Policy options and revenue uses: Staff described three possible board recommendations: forward the research to council for guidance; recommend council conduct community engagement (surveys, business outreach) to gauge support for a ban or fee; or recommend no further action. The presenter said a 10¢ bag fee—structured with 1¢ retained by the retailer and 9¢ to the county—would generate an estimated $325,000 annually, of which roughly $292,000 would go to Los Alamos County under the presenter’s model; staff proposed dedicating revenue to waste‑diversion, education or sustainability programs and suggested exemptions for medical needs and SNAP/EBT beneficiaries.
Board discussion and concerns: Board members urged more local data—especially audit details on how much plastic bag material contributes to contamination—before launching broad community engagement. Several members also suggested non‑regulatory alternatives such as expanding local bag collection, improving reuse programs, or piloting local recycling options at the Eco Station. One county councilor (speaking to the board) urged the county to be a sustainability leader and proposed small‑business‑oriented programs such as locally sold reusable bags.
Motion and outcome: Sue Barnes moved and Eric Cosell seconded the motion "that the Environmental Sustainability Board forward the plastic bag research to council for consideration and further guidance." The chair called the question and members approved the motion by voice vote; the meeting record does not include a roll‑call tally.
Next steps: Staff will present the revised materials to County Council and asked for direction on the scope of any further engagement. Staff also recommended awaiting results from an upcoming contamination audit to inform any subsequent outreach or policy proposals.
