The local branch of liberal environmental group Greenpeace in Lexington, Kentucky, which has been pushing for a ban on all plastic substances, celebrated a partial victory on Friday as the City Council voted 7-2 in favor of a measure banning plastic bags.

Republican council member James Connor introduced the bill back in late December of 2014 after his wife suffocated inside of a trash bag.

In what can only be called a tragic event, Connor witnessed his wife’s last seconds of life after coming home from a friend’s house in the Stonewall Community area.

According to Connor he tried to save his wife by grabbing a nearby kitchen knife and repeatedly ‘poking’ multiple holes in the trash bag.

(Plastic trash bag that Mrs. Connor was found in)

“We need to seriously reduce the amount of plastic-related deaths in Lexington,” Connor said.

The Lexington ban will leave ‘breathable’ paper bags as the only option for local residents. Restrictions on bags include all sizes of plastic trash/garbage bags, clear Ziplock bags, slider grip bags, and – at Connors request – laboratory mini-grip re-sealing bags and specimen transportation bags.

Ice making companies and ice vending machine owners have begun a vicious ad campaign to re-call the new law. The effort is being spearheaded by Polar Ice Express president Joseph Mills.

“How the hell are we supposed to sell our ice now in the Lexington market?” Mills asked.

Greenpeace experts estimate that Lexington residents use approximately 127 million plastic bags a year. Only 5.7% are recycled nation-wide. Yet, plastic is also the cause of countless human animal and regular animal deaths.

“The (plastic) bags at local grocery store checkouts are cost-free, but they take a toll on human lives,” Connor said.

In 2007, Lexington citizens voted down a bill calling for a 5 cent fee on plastic grocery store bags that had been previously passed by the City Council. The plastics industry has demonized the measure and called for further investigation in the late Mrs. Connor’s death.

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