City left holding the bag

Oregonian (editorial):

For a time it looked like Oregon might be the first place to make a serious run at recycling of plastics, not just bags, but all kinds of plastic litter and waste now tossed into ditches and landfills. But then it all fell apart. The plastic-bag industry had no intention of backing up its rhetoric about helping lead a recycling effort in Oregon. And not enough lawmakers stepped up to support a more creative alternative to a statewide ban. So instead of leading, Oregon will follow places such as San Francisco with isolated city prohibitions that make trouble for retailers dealing with different regulations, confuse consumers and offer token environmental gains.

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