On Tuesday, Bull City leaders are scheduled to talk about ways to improve the city's environmental impact.
One of the top ideas under consideration is a fee for the use of plastic bags.
This proposal first popped up in 2019. In that case, shoppers balked at the possibility of being charged $0.10 per plastic bag during each shopping trip.
The fee is supposed to encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable bags.
Environmental advocates say those single-use plastic bags cost the environment much more than $0.10. In fact, Don't Waste Durham said it costs Durham government nearly $87,000 per year to recycle waste caused by plastic bags. Businesses spend about $2.5 million per year on the same services.
In addition, those bags that are not properly recycled can take more than a decade to decompose.