Court Upholds San Francisco Bag Ban Extension

San Francisco’s proposed extension of its bag ban to all retail stores and food establishments has been upheld by a local judge.

A San Francisco Superior Court judge ruled as valid the local ordinance extending San Francisco's ban on non-compostable plastic checkout bags and imposing a 10-cent charge on other bags provided to consumers. The ruling allows San Francisco to begin enforcing the ordinance as planned beginning Oct. 1, according to a news release from the city attorney’s office.

San Francisco has had the first prohibition on plastic checkout bags since 2007, affecting large supermarkets and retail pharmacies. The proposed expansion was signed into law in February.

The new law will apply to all retailers in October, with retail food establishments, such as takeout restaurants, subject to the ban beginning July 1, 2013. All establishments affected must charge customers 10 cents for each single-use paper or compostable plastic bag.

The Save the Plastic Bag Coalition sued the city following the signing of the new ordinance into law. The coalition argued that the law violated state health and sanitation standards.