Steve

Albuquerque Sprouts locations have eliminated single-use plastic shopping bags, part of a company-wide effort to stop using them at Sprouts locations by the end of 2023.

Sprouts announced the decision in March, saying the move will remove over 200 million plastic bags from circulation annually. Single-use plastic bags have already been eliminated at all of the California Sprout’s locations, according to the March announcement.

Albuquerque Sprouts stores stopped using single-use plastic bags on May 29.

Instead of single-use, Sprouts is charging customers 10 cents a bag for reusable plastic bags, which can be used several times. The bags are made from 40% post-consumer recycled material, according to the announcement, and customers are encouraged to shop with their own reusable bags.

The City of Albuquerque’s single-use plastic bag ban, which barred grocers and other stores from providing single-use plastic bags at checkout, was repealed in 2022. Legislation to ban single-use plastic bags at retailers statewide failed in the state Legislature earlier this year, but several cities in New Mexico have bans in place, including Las Cruces, Santa Fe and Taos.

SANTA FE — Buoyed by an oil and gas revenue boom, New Mexico is preparing to share some of its extra cash with taxpayers, starting next week.

Two state agencies — the Taxation and Revenue and Human Services departments — expect to deliver about $705 million this year in rebates and economic relief payments.

The money is part of the spending and tax package authorized by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the state Legislature this year.

Residents who filed a 2021 personal income tax return are set to receive either $500 for an individual, or $1,000 for a couple filing jointly.

Taxpayers who receive refunds through direct deposit should get the money about June 21, or the middle of next week.