A new year means new laws and practices. Here in Century City, locals joined the rest of Los Angeles in saying goodbye to single-use plastic bags.
In the first step of a two-part process, shoppers at large retail grocery stores will have to use their own reusable bags to carry out their respective purchases or be subject to a 10-cent fee to use a recyclable paper bag instead.
Single-use plastic bags will no longer be available at large retailers, such as Vons or Ralph’s; the ban went into effect Jan. 1. In the second phase, other stores – primarily independent markets – will be required to impose the 10-cent recyclable bag fee and stop providing customers with single-use plastic bags by July 1.
The ban is currently only applicable to large chains that meet certain revenue or square footage thresholds. Under the City law, which was approved last year by council members in an 11-1 vote, any supermarket earning north of $2 million annually or occupying 10,000 square feet (or more) in retail or commercial space were the first required to incorporate the single-use plastic bag ban.
Once in full effect in July, single-use plastic bags will not be available at any store selling perishable foods.
The City of Los Angeles as a whole joins Santa Monica and San Francisco in adopting a single-use plastic bag ban. A ban on single-use plastic bags is also in effect of Los Angeles County.
In Sacramento, legislators attempted more than three years ago to adopt a ban on single-use plastic bags state law, as well as set a baseline for what types of reusable bags could be used in supermarkets. While the legislation gained traction in the Assembly, the State Senate failed to adopt the proposed law.
Here in Century City, some of the grocery stores where shoppers should plan on bringing a reusable bag include Gelson’s Market in the Westfield Mall, Ralph’s on Olympic Boulevard just west of Fox Hills Drive, and Gelson’s on Olympic Boulevard and El Camino Drive. By July 1, shoppers at all markets surrounding Century City will either be charged 10 cents for a recyclable paper bag or be allowed to use a reusable bag.
Los Angeles is the largest city in the United States to ban single-use plastic bags; according to news reports, about 90 cities nationwide have similar policies.
In neighboring Santa Monica, for example, the single-use plastic bag ban applies to grocery stores, convenience stores, mini-marts, liquor stores, and pharmacies.
Single-use plastic bags were first introduced to consumers in 1982. It is estimated that 19 billion single-used plastic bags are used annually in California.
Los Angeles City officials conducted an environmental study and determined Angelenos consume an estimated two billion single-use plastic bags annually.
The single-use plastic bag ban is a victory for those who claim the items litter local beaches and clog storm drains.
The Century City News will follow-up on the single-use plastic bag ban in its next issue to see how the City’s new policy has impacted local markets.
