July 22 - Santa Barbara County Approves First Reading of Plastic Bag Ban Ordinance

The Lompoc Record reports that there is good news is on the horizon for unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County.  Yesterday, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to approve the first reading of a plastic bag ban ordinance that would make it illegal for grocery, drug and convenient stores to provide customers with single-use plastic bags.  Exempted are restaurants, food service providers, beer/wine tasting rooms and a few others. Additionally it includes a 10 cent charge on paper bags. From the Record:

Jeanne Sparks, who lives in the 5th District, came in with her brightly colored Trader Joe’s, Costco and Ralph’s reusable grocery bags on her arm to speak in favor of the ban. “It’s not that difficult to carry a reusable bag,” Sparks said. “It makes sense to have legislation. We’ve had education for decades and people are still letting plastic bags go. They’re in the parks, they’re in the streets.”

The Record reported that, based on county staff reports, approximately 658 million single-use plastic grocery bags are used every year in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Although California's landmark statewide ban on plastic bags was supposed to take effect July 1, 2015, its implementation was delayed by a referendum put forth by the plastic bag industry until November 2016.  

The Santa Barbara County ordinance would be the 138th City or County in California that has taken this matter into their own hands. The second reading and likely adoption is set for August 25, 2015 so stay tuned!

Californians Against Waste works closely with local communities in their efforts to eliminate plastic bag pollution, and is working with other environmental groups to protect California's statewide ban.  Learn more about these efforts at California vs. Big Plastic.

Learn more about plastic bag pollution here.

Read the full article here.