Nov 9 - San Francisco to Expand Country's First Bag Ban
San Francisco’s bag ban, the first in the nation, may soon be strengthened under a new proposal to further reduce bag waste and litter.
The ordinance would amend existing code to require an initial charge of 10 cents for all paper and reusable bags, and expand the requirements to include other retailers and restaurants in the city. After two years of implementation, the charge would increase to 25 cents.
The current ordinance, passed in 2007, bans non-compostable plastic bags from larger supermarkets and pharmacy chains in San Francisco. If passed, the new ordinance becomes effective on July 1, 2012.
The ordinance expansion will first be considered by the City Operations and Neighborhood Services (CONS) committee next Monday. If approved, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors would then hold a hearing on the ordinance on December 6. The ordinance would be officially adopted on December 13.
Take action here—send a letter of support to the CONS committee. It only takes a few minutes and you can personalize your letter.
You can also attend the committee meeting and make a public comment. The meeting will start on November 14 at 10 am in Room 263 (room number subject to change) in City Hall (1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA). Check the committee website for the latest agenda here a day or two before the actual meeting.
Read more in the SF Examiner.
For more information on plastic bag pollution or a list of current bag ordinances, please visit our website. You can also support us by joining our listserve for updates on plastic pollution, or making a donation.