(Corn is a food, livestock food, bio-fuel and now shopping bags.)

Iowa county considers ban on plastic bags
8:43 AM

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) -- Plastic bags may be a thing of the past in Marshall County.

County supervisors say they plan to pass a first-in-Iowa ordinance that mandates the use of only biodegradable bags for shopping. It would also prohibit paper bags that are not recyclable.

Stores that violate the ordinance would face fines up to $500 for repeat offenders.

Supervisor Patrick Brooks says he got the idea from watching a documentary on fish in Africa that were dying. Researches determined the fish had eaten small pieces of plastic.

The Marshall County proposal is being met with skepticism from retailers worried about the added cost of biodegradable bags, which are made of corn starch.

The Environmental Protection Administration estimates that Americans annually use 100 billion plastic bags.

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