Park Ridge shoppers at the city's largest retailers will no longer receive single-use plastic checkout bags beginning Jan. 1, 2027, when the city's new bag ban takes effect.

The ban prohibits single-use plastic bags at any retail store with at least 7,500 square feet of space, according to the city's Single-Use Bag Program page.

That threshold covers roughly nine stores in the city, primarily grocery stores, the Chicago Tribune reported. Stores that violate the ban face a $100 fine per violation, according to Journal & Topics.

The ordinance does not prohibit pre-checkout bags used for items such as produce, although those bags must meet the ordinance's requirements. A separate provision requires all paper point-of-sale bags at every retail establishment in Park Ridge to be recyclable, regardless of store size.

Drew Awsumb, the city's Community Preservation and Development director, presented the ordinance to the council's Procedures and Regulations Committee of the Whole on March 2. He said major grocery chains had already complied with similar bans in nearby suburbs, according to the Tribune.

"They'll probably make their own decisions on their stock and when to shift over," Awsumb told the committee, the Tribune reported.

City leaders considered a bag tax or fee but determined an outright ban would not place an undue burden on businesses. The idea originated in 2024 within the city's sustainability commission.

Mayor Marty Maloney wrote on Facebook after the vote that the ordinance followed "years of conversation" and "lots of community input."

Local institutions are already preparing. At the May 19 Park Ridge Public Library Board of Trustees meeting, Library Director Joanna Bertucci noted the Friends of the Library were considering selling reusable bags to align with the ban, according to board minutes.

The city's Single-Use Bag Program page at parkridge.us lists additional details on the ordinance.