L.A. Board Votes To Ban Plastic and Paper Bags
The board of Public Works unanimously voted Wednesday to ban the use of plastic and paper bags at grocery and certain retail stores in Los Angeles.
Supermarkets that gross more than $2 million would be affected by the ban as well as retail stores with more than 10,000 square feet of space that generate sales tax and have a licensed pharmacy.
The city estimates 2,000 grocery stores and 7,500 retail stores would be affected by the ban and would require them to sell reusable bags.
Locations that repeatedly violate the ban could be fined up to $500 per day.
Supporters of the ban argued that plastic bags are one of the worst pollutants in the Pacific Ocean and the city's waterways. Officials estimate that 2 billion single-use plastic bags and about 400 million paper bags are used each year in the city.
Opponents of the ban argued that plastic bags are often recycled and the problems they cause do not require a ban.
Cities such as Long Beach, Santa Monica, West Hollywood and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County already have similar bans in place.
The vote asks the City Attorney to draft an ordinance, which will need the approval of the City Council and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and will allow the Bureau of Sanitation to begin an environmental review of the policy. There is no exact date the ordinance would go into affect.
