Sept 11 - Encinitas Becomes Second City in San Diego County to Adopt Local Bag Ban
Yesterday evening, the Encinitas City Council adopted the latest local carryout bag ordinance in the state.
Encinitas is a coastal city about 25 miles north of San Diego, with a population of roughly 60,000. It is the second city in San Diego County to adopt a bag ban; Solana Beach was the first in 2012.
With bag ban adoptions in Encinitas yesterday and in Hercules, a Contra Costa County jurisdiction, on Tuesday, there are now at least 127 cities or counties in the state with an adopted bag ban, covering more than a third of the population. The experiences from existing bans demonstrate effective reductions in plastic bag pollution as well as reduced costs and distribution of bags.
Encinitas' ordinance bans single-use carryout plastic bags, and allows the sale of paper bags for a minimum of 10 cents each. Stores may also rebate customers 5 cents each for bringing their own bags, a practice that's already occuring in some businesses.
The ordinance goes into effect in large grocery stores on March 10, 2015, and applies to all other retail stores and farmers markets by September 10, 2015. Restaurants are not included.
If SB 270, the state bag bill, is signed into law by Governor Brown as suggested, Encinitas will be grandfathered in because a first reading of this ordinance was held before the September 1st deadline.
Take action and support a statewide bag ban. Take one minute to urge Governor Brown to sign the bill today--he has until September 30th to decide.
Join the conversation!
Individuals like you are the key to Recycling's success. Please take a moment to support our work on single-use plastic pollution.