Oahu retailers can no longer distribute plastic bags at checkout counters under the latest phase of the city’s plastic bag ban ordinance that took effect Wednesday.

Prior to the start of the new year, businesses could provide flimsier “compostable bags” and thicker “reusable plastic bags” to customers for a minimum charge of 15 cents per bag.

Technically, plastic bags that are at least 10 mil thick — more than three times thicker than 3-mil industrial-strength trash bags — and have handles are still allowed, but experts say those are cost-prohibitive. (A mil is a unit of measurement equal to one-thousandth of an inch.)

As for consumers, they can still request a reusable paper, cloth or washable fabric bag for a minimum charge of 15 cents, bring their own shopping bags or go without.

There are a number of key exemptions, however. Most significantly, plastic takeout bags can still be distributed to protect or transport prepared foods, beverages or baked goods — but only for one more year under a bill approved by the City Council last fall.

The environmental group Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii issued a press release Monday declaring the changes that took effect Wednesday mark the real beginning of the city’s plastic bags ban. BEACH noted that previous phases of the ban simply allowed people to switch to a thicker bag and pay 15 cents for them.

“The data BEACH collected at Ala Moana Beach Park showed that charging fees for plastic bags and switching to thicker bags did not put a stop to plastic bags in the environment,” said Suzanne Frazer, the organization’s co-founder.

Lauren Zirbel, executive director of the Hawaii Food Industry Association, said she believes most members of her organization have been gearing up for the switch since Bill 59 (2016) was first signed into law by Mayor Kirk Caldwell in July 2017 and that the transition went relatively smoothly.

“The people who are members of HFIA are likely already prepared for this change,” Zirbel said.

Adrian Hong, president of Island Plastic Bags, agreed. “I have a feeling that everybody was kind of prepared this time, that people will be switching to paper or nothing at all,” he said.

Hong said much of his efforts now are focused on locating paper bags that contain a minimum of 40% post-consumer recyclable materials.

“There’s only so much 40% post-consumer paper out there so finding paper mills that make bags and getting custom-printed paper bags is going to be difficult going forward,” he said.

The plastic bag ban ordinance allows fines of $100 to $1,000 per violation, but city Environmental Services Director Lori Kahikina stressed that her agency will provide fair warning and time to correct a retailer’s wrongful actions before seeking penalties.

Kahikina said the city will need to depend on the public to enforce the law.

“ENV doesn’t have the resources to send people out to every retailer to see if they’re in compliance,” she said.

Complaints and questions can be directed to the Environmental Services Department at 808-768-3200, extension 6 or email businessrecycle@honolulu.gov.

The new rules that went into effect Wednesday were not directly related to the highly contentious Bill 40 (2019), the comprehensive single-use plastics prohibition bill adopted by the Council and signed into law by Caldwell in December.

That new law prohibits practically all plastic utensils by Jan. 1, 2021, and plastic containers including clamshell plates by Jan. 1, 2022.

Additionally, the exemption given for plastic bags for takeout or prepared foods will do away Jan. 1, 2021, as a result of a change inserted into Bill 40.

Also taking effect Wednesday, the cost for commercial truckers and bus drivers to obtain loading zone or bus stop permits on Oahu increased to $70 from $25 annually. Of the amount, $60 is for the annual fee and $10 is for a parking decal.

Additionally, those who use loading zones or bus stops within the Waikiki Transportation Management Special Improvement District will now need to get a supplemental permit for $130 — $120 for an annual fee and $10 for a decal.

Only current holders of loading zone or bus stop permits are eligible to purchase the Waikiki special district permit.

What’s now Ordinance 19-23 was initiated by the recently created Waikiki Transportation Management Special Improvement District and supported by the Hawaii Transportation Association.