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The choice between paper and plastic for grocery shoppers in Los Angeles may soon cease to exist. LA City Councilman Paul Koretz recently proposed a motion to ban the city’s shoppers from having the option of either plastic or paper bags in stores. The decree is intended to reduce the widespread circulation of shopping bags that contribute to environmental pollution. Under the ordinance, grocery stores would only be permitted to distribute or sell reusable tote bags and provide smaller plastic bags for produce. Earlier in the year, a similar ban was passed in LA County’s smaller municipalities such as Santa Monica, and the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles. That ban targeted only plastic bags. Such laws are being actively pushed by environmental groups. When the state-wide effort to ban bags led by Assemblywoman Julia Brownley failed, her “California’s Plastic Bag Ban” became a template for propositions at the local government level. According to Brownley, “[California] uses 19 billion plastic bags a year;” additionally, it takes the state over $25 million a year to clean up the mess. Assemblywoman Brownley’s efforts were heavily opposed by lobbyists for the plastics industry resulting in its failure to pass at the state level. This latest bag ban in LA builds on Brownley’s legislation, but, takes it a step further by with the paper bag ban. While local groups like Heal the Bay are heavily backing Paul Koretz’s local measure, it remains to be seen how the public will react.

GUEST: Kirsten James, Water Quality Director of Heal the Bay

Find out more at www.healthebay.org.