Aug 28 - Irvine Approves Study on Plastic Bag Ban
Earlier this month the Irvine City Council directed staff to study a possible plastic bag ban for the city.
Attendees at the meeting spoke for and against the proposal.
Those in favor cited the environmental impacts of plastic bag litter and how easy it was to bring reusable bags.
Some who spoke against the ordinance worried about high costs for buying trash liners and pet waste bags instead of using "free" grocery bags.
But LA County conducted a study prior to its bag ban in 2010 that found each household would spend less than $6 each year to purchase trash bag liners after a ban.
In addition, produce, newspaper, and bread bags--all free, and all still available under bag bans--would be perfect substitutes to bag any trash and pet waste.
Finally, bag bans like those adopted in LA County and currently being considered at the statewide level under AB 298 would actually save us money as well as protect the environment.
They prohibit unnecessary plastic bags, encourage reusable bag usage, and remove the hidden inflated grocery costs associated with "free" single-use bags.
In Orange County, both Laguna Beach and Dana Point have already adopted bag bans, and Huntington Beach is in the process.
Read an article.