As Lexington County Council considers a plastic bag ban, Richland County voted on theirs.

The single-use bag prohibition passed on the first vote and needs 2 others to become official.

If Richland County’s ban is successful, they will join 18 other counties and municipalities in the state which ban the bags.

Richland County shoppers would have to bring reusable bags or use recycled paper bags.

Their ordinance reads, “single-use bags were detrimental to the environment,” and doing away with them would “create a cleaner environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate a public nuisance.”

The town of Arcadia Lakes’ in Richland County has already banned plastic bags, styrofoam cups and coolers beginning next March.

If Richland County passes the ban, residents can possess plastic bags, but stores cannot give them to customers.

The ordinance will affect shoppers at all stores in Richland County.

Lexington County is in the beginning stages of discussing a ban. County Councilman Darrell Hudson of Lexington said, “We should think forward about our rivers, our lakes and the things that attract people to Lexington. This is a worldwide problem, not just Lexington County. At least we can do our part for a little inconvenience.”