photo by: Associated Press

This file photo from Aug. 3, 2009, shows a clerk bagging groceries in plastic sacks at the M Street Grocery in Seattle.

The City of Lawrence is seeking public input on a proposal to ban or charge a fee for single-use plastic and paper bags.

The Lawrence Sustainability Advisory Board previously recommended that the city charge a 16-cent fee for disposable plastic and paper bags, but it has since updated that recommendation to indicate it would also support a ban, as the Journal-World recently reported. The Lawrence City Commission has indicated it is interested in either a fee or a ban.

The city states in a press release that it would like to hear from business owners and other members of the public who are interested in the topic. The possible recommendations currently under consideration include charging a fee for single-use plastic and paper bags; banning single-use plastic bags and charging a small fee for paper bags; charging a fee for single-use plastic bags and no fee for paper bags; and banning single-use plastic bags and not charging a fee for paper bags. The board previously proposed the city collect the proceeds from the fee, but has since determined that option is not feasible, and if a fee would be charged it would be retained by the business.

Those interested in providing feedback on the proposal can attend one of two upcoming public listening sessions that will take place Friday. The first session will be at 10 a.m. in the City Commission Room at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St., and the second session will be at 5 p.m. at the Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second St.

Those unable to attend either public listening session can fill out an online survey, which is available on the Lawrence Listens website, lawrenceks.org/lawrence-listens. Residents can also send any comments via email to sustainability@lawrenceks.org.