VIDEO: Supervisor Ridley-Thomas Leads Ban On Plastic Bags
LA County Becomes Nation’s Largest Municipality to Take Step
The Board of Supervisors introduced an ordinance banning
the sale of single-use plastic bags in Los Angeles County’s unincorporated areas. The County becomes the country’s largest government entity to enact such bold environmental legislation.
“With this vote, Los Angeles County becomes a national leader in the movement to promote the use of reusable bags,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “Single-use plastic bags take a significant toll on our environment and infrastructure. The vast majority of plastic bags ultimately end up clogging our storm drains, threatening our local waters and wildlife, and become blight within our communities.”
The new ordinance will ban plastic carryout bags and impose a ten-cent charge for paper bags at all supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, convenience stores and food marts. Retailers, such as supermarkets and large pharmacies, must stop offering single-use plastic bags by July 1, 2011 or face enforcement action; smaller retailers will have until January 1, 2012 to comply.
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