Single-Use Ordinances

Bring Your Bag, Eugene!

In an effort to promote reusable shopping bags, reduce litter and other negative impacts on wildlife and the environment, Eugene has had a ban on single-use plastic carryout bags since 2013.

In 2019, after Oregon decided to adopt a statewide ban on single-use checkout bags, the City of Eugene updated the City Code to align with state law. Effective, December 27, 2019, retail establishments and now also restaurants are prohibited from providing single-use checkout bags to customers. Retail businesses and restaurants are only allowed to provide to customers recycled paper bags, reusable fabric bags, or reusable plastic bags at checkout. The state law does not allow for an exemption process for the single-use checkout bag ordinance.

Key elements of the single-use checkout bag ordinance are outlined in the Frequently Asked Questions. For full details, see Eugene City Code Section 6.850-6.855.

Restaurants and other retail food and beverage establishments, including food carts, bars, coffee and tea shops, grocery stores, convenience stores, hotels and motels, caterers, and food service contractors are also affected by the City of Eugene’s polystyrene ordinance and single-use serviceware ordinance. For more information on those ordinances, click on the Single-Use Polystyrene and Single-Use Serviceware tabs above.