Dec 24 - 12 California Cities Plastic Bag Bans To Go Into Effect in January 2015 (Press Release)

Contact: Mark Murray, Californians Against Waste, 916-443-5422

Plastic Bag Bans Go Into Effect in 12 Cities on January 1, 2015

Possible Vote on Statewide Ban Will Not Affect New Local Bans

SACRAMENTO -- Twelve California cities have bans on single-use plastic bags go into effect in January 2015, joining 138 other jurisdictions in the state with local bans.

They include: Belvedere (1/9/15); Calistoga; Chico; Gonzales; Grass Valley; King City; Martinez; Mercury; Monrovia; Napa; Nevada City; St. Helena (all 1/1/15).

The bans will go into effect regardless of whether a challenge to the statewide law by the plastic bag industry that is slated to go into effect on July 1, 2015 is successful. The industry has spent $3.1 million to put the statewide measure on the November 2016, with 98 percent of the funds contributed by out-of-state bag manufacturers.

If the measure qualifies, a statewide ban will be delayed until November 2016. However, local jurisdictions will continue to be allowed to enact bans. Dozens of cities, including Sacramento, are poised to do just that.

Nearly 40 percent of the state will be covered by plastic bag bans in 2015, notes Mark Murray of Californians Against Waste.

"Consumers in communities with bans strongly support them," says Murray. "They discover that the initial inconvenience is far outweighed by the savings and the benefits of reusable bags.

"The statewide bag ban is basically tying up the loose ends, taking these very successful local plastic bag bans and applying that same concept statewide," he says.

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