Green | July 25, 2008 | 26 comments

Los Angeles to ban plastic bags by 2010

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/24/plasticbags.waste

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huffamoose2k
Los Angeles yesterday became the second US city to end the use of plastic bags, although its ban would only take effect if the state of California does not follow through with plans to charge shoppers 25 cents for each bag.

The city council unanimously approved a plastic bag ban that would take effect in 2010, shaking off an intense lobby campaign against the proposal by bag manufacturers. Los Angeles goes through more than 2bn plastic bags each year, only 5% of which are recycled, according to city estimates.

The city's ban would impose a 25-cent fee for paper or biodegradable bags if shoppers do not bring their own, but council members said their plan would not be needed if the California legislature approves a pending plan to charge the same fee for plastic bag usage across the state.

Supporters of the ban cited the comparatively high 21% recycling rate for paper bags in addition to the fossil fuels consumption and environmental damage wrought by plastic bag use. The ban also gained momentum after popular furniture chain Ikea imposed a 5-cent fee on US shoppers and saw plastic bag use plummet by 92%.

The Los Angeles council also voted to end official city purchases of polystyrene containers for takeaway food, beginning next year.

San Francisco, which uses less than half as many plastic carriers as Los Angeles, became the first American city to ban plastic bags last year. China unexpectedly followed suit in January by ending production of bags and barring shops from giving them away.

Not every US city is embracing the idea of eco-friendly packaging, however. The Baltimore city council this week rejected a proposed ban on plastic bags at stores with annual revenues above $500,000 (£251,000), despite the endorsement of the mayor.

Bangladesh was the first nation to ban plastic bags in 2002 amid rising worries that disposed bags were blocking drains during the monsoon season.
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26 comments // Los Angeles to ban plastic bags by 2010

  • AlinaJette
    • 0
      AlinaJette  

    • People in Cali are soon going to be up to their ankles in dog crap.

      I use those plastic bags to:

      -clean up after my pooch
      -line the garbages in my bathroom and office
      -pack my lunches and my boyfriends
      -line the floor in my car when i am transporting greasy parts (i work on cars)
      -wrap up breakable items instead of buying tissue paper for gifts and storage and mailings

      just to name the most common things they are good for.

      I am sure I am not alone, and now people are going to have to just buy new plastic items for these purposes instead of recycling the ones they already have access to.

    • 3 years ago
  • Lauren_Marie
  • melodyj
  • davem777
  • ElizabethIlia
    • 0
      ElizabethIlia  

    • I cannot wait for my city to do this, we will have no need for that ugly bag lady in our kitchen.
      And yes, changing the bag can be useless if your tote is full of chemicals and bottled water, but hopefully in years to come these things too, will be a thing of the past.

    • 3 years ago
  • stephenthomson
  • SuperLayne
  • SwiftlyTilt
    • 0
      SwiftlyTilt  

    • It's about f***ing time, but still a cosmetic gesture. I think that people in developed countries don't fully understand the changes we have to make in our lifestyles to actually start reducing the damage we do to our environment.

      I for one personally believe a significant step would be the ban of the incandescent light bulb. Its the same bulb as the first one that was invented almost a 100 years ago, and it is quite an inefficient use of resources.

    • 3 years ago
  • metalcookiesxy70
  • scabbio
    • 0
      scabbio  

    • we can effectively put this into action now. i have a tote and haven't used these bags in months. recycled totes are everywhere. do your part!

    • 3 years ago
  • PatrioticAstronaut
  • knightlynight200
    • 0
      knightlynight200  

    • i think it would be smart to ban plastic bags becuase they rip too easily anyway, but what about the plastic bags already here, what are we going to do about those

    • 3 years ago
  • jay_ct
    • 0
      jay_ct  
    • Image

    • We need to get rid of the concept of waste.

      William McDonough & Michael Braungart have the model, it is called "Cradle to Cradle".
      There clients include Ford, Nike and China.
      They have attracted clients such as these because there model makes both economical and environmental sense.

      If you have not heard of these men or this concept please check it out.

    • 3 years ago
  • Ayahuasca2012
  • tomofnorthcal
  • maxamust
    • 0
      maxamust  

    • Why do people think that driving a hybrid and getting rid of plastic bags is going to save the world? It's a start, but it's going to take way more than this.

      It's great that you have a canvas bag, but look at everything that is inside that plastic bags. Meat and dairy packaged in plastic. Bottled water. Pesticides.

    • 3 years ago
  • jimenagamio
  • fauxsherrrr
  • SuncatcherEyes
  • huffamoose2k
  • UWAZell
    • 0
      UWAZell  

    • Usually in North America you look towards California to make some big/necessary social change, or even make a crazy law... not calling a ban on plastic bags crazy. However, who would have thought that Canada of all places would have beat Cali in the banning of plastic bags. Looks like Cali's game is slipping.

      Looks as if the words "paper or plastic" will soon be a part of history.

    • 3 years ago
  • coffee513
  • squilla1123
  • Shway
  • Robroy1
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