April 28, 2025

Amicus briefs in support of the City of Athens and its plastic bag regulation

Across Ohio, local communities find creative ways to use their power to improve the air we breathe and the water we drink. Athens, the home of Ohio University, is no exception. A few years ago, Athens City Council passed an ordinance regulating the provision of plastic bags to customers visiting local businesses.

It’s a simple effort at its heart. Reduce one major source of plastic waste, and thus, benefit both the local community’s plastic waste problem and contribute to the larger global effort to reduce plastic pollution.

But at the end of 2023, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit against the City of Athens, claiming its plastic bag regulation violates Ohio law. 

We don’t have time to dive into the specifics of the legal arguments—if you want to learn more about the OEC’s perspective on the case, you can read our amicus brief. Rather, I want to emphasize the importance of Athens’s continued fight against the State.

Athens is standing firm in its decision to regulate plastic bags. They chose to be bold with an ordinance many other communities avoided because they feared the Ohio General Assembly might preempt them. The City of Athens lost at the trial court, but it appealed the court’s decision upward, where it is currently pending.

Athens is acting boldly because its residents called upon them to act against plastic pollution. They structured an ordinance that met that call. And they’re empowering their law director to defend it, too, against the Ohio Attorney General. It’s an inspiring story, and the OEC is proud to support it in small ways through our amicus briefs and by sharing the story. 

How could your local government act boldly in the face of environmental challenges like climate change? As we continue to fight against politicians who choose to put polluter profits over the people, every action matters, from city councils to the White House.

UPCOMING LAW CENTER EVENTS

The Law Center has some exciting events scheduled, such as the Annual Law Conference and a series of Law Center Webinars. Visit here to learn more about the Law Center and upcoming events. 

Annual Law Conference 

September 26 

The Ohio State University 

Law Center Webinars 

Quarterly 

Virtual