Seattle City Council has voted to impose a 20 cent fee on paper and plastic bags in all grocery, drug, and convenience stores, beginning January 1, 2009. The city has also decided to ban plastic foam food and drink containers.

Replacements for these containers are already being used in Seattle and are made of sugar cane, beets, or corn. Grocery stores are being given an 18-month extension on the ban as replacing foam meat trays is complicated, due to machinery and health concerns. Read the full article on the new policies here.