Bag regulations are in full foliage this fall. And the state of California is still leading the way. Beginning Oct. 1, restaurants in San Francisco are restricted from handing out single-use plastic bags for take-out and delivery. They are required to switch to compostable plastic, paper or reusable bags. The San Francisco ordinance was expanded to include all retail establishments last year.
All around the State of California, communities are working to develop ordinances restricting the use and distribution of single-use plastic bags. This summer Monterey County’s supervisors directed their staff to begin preparing an ordinance restricting the distribution of single-use plastic bags. The county is also preparing a broad environmental impact report—the City of Monterey has already adopted an ordinance that bans plastic bags and allows a charge for paper.
This fall, other cities began taking action. San Diego has started to work on an ordinance. Salinas’ City Council voted to move forward with a bag ordinance. The Davis City Council unanimously approved a motion to develop a single-use bag ordinance that would apply to all businesses in the city.
Arcata, El Cerrito and Mill Valley are scheduled to finalize bag ordinances in the coming weeks. By early next year, it is estimated that, one in three Californians will live in a community that has restricted plastic bags. There are currently 59 ordinances adopted in the State of California. These ordinances cover over 80 California Cities and Counties.
There is a lot of legislation being considered in several states for 2013. Make sure to keep checking our website www.baglaws.com for updates on single use bag legislation that is pending or being implemented. Our retail packaging specialists stay on top of the ever changing market conditions. Let us help you navigate bag legislation in the municipalities you sell into and select the best packaging for your stores. We hope that you will contact us by phone at 888-429-5673 or via email at baglaws@swalter.com
