Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson is scheduled Monday to formally announce a proposed ordinance requiring county retail establishments to phase out use of non-recyclable bags, including plastic bags, and provide reusable bags for their customers.
"This ordinance will put Sacramento County at the forefront of reducing the proliferation of plastic and non-recyclable bags in our environment," Dickinson said in a news release. "This is not about more regulation for business; this is about protecting our environment and stopping the waste of taxpayer dollars in cleaning up these bags every year."
Californians Against Waste, a nonprofit research and advocacy group, reports that California residents use up to 19 billion plastic bags annually, with the vast majority ending up in landfills or contributing to litter and blight, the news release says. Because plastic bags are difficult to recycle and do not bio-degrade, they often have to be removed from streets and waterways at taxpayers' costs.
The ordinance would require supermarkets and large pharmacies to switch to reusable bags, or distribute bags made of materials that are compostable and easily recycled. Supermarkets would have six months and pharmacies one year to make the transition. Stores that violated the ordinance would be subject to citation for infractions, with a fine of $100 to $500 and civil penalties of $200 to $600, depending on the number of violations.
Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 608-7451.
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