Los Angeles Passes Bag Ban

Los Angeles city council has passed an ordinance to phase out the use of plastic grocery bags, becoming the largest city in the United States to pass such a measure aimed at reducing waste generation, after earlier attempts were derailed.

If the measure is signed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the phase-out of single-use plastic grocery bags at large grocery stores with begin Jan.1 and extend to smaller convenience and liquor stores by July 1 of next year, according to a Sacramento-based Californians Against Waste news release.

Earlier this month the California legislature voted down a statewide bag ban.

Los Angeles passed a bag ban law last year but because of study and challenges it was delayed and revised.

Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste, noted that Los Angeles could become the 77^th jurisdiction in California to phase out the use of plastic grocery store bags.

“By 2014, more than one-third of Californians – 13 million people – will live in communities that no longer have to deal with the scourge and cost of single-use plastic grocery bags,” he said.