Bag Ban Toolkit
The following links provide information related to plastic bag ordinances and the impact they have on the environment, public health and the economy, as well as local government budgets. For more information, contact Genevieve Abedon, CAWF Waste Prevention Campaign Coordinator, by email or at 916-443-5422.
- Frequently Asked Questions about Bag Bans
- Sample Support Letter
- What did your city spend to prevent marine debris? (August 2013 NRDC Survey of 95 CA cities. Full report here)
- Setting the Record Straight: Common Myths and Misperceptions from Bag Ban Opponents
Reusable Bag Safety. Rebuttals and related links for:
- University of Arizona/Loma Linda University study
- Wharton School Institute for Law and Economics paper
- Case study of Norovirus outbreak in Oregon
Ordinance Results:
- LA County: 95% reduction of all single-use bags (30% reduction of paper) (also see this Nov 2012 update)
- San Jose: 89% cleaner storm drain systems, 60% cleaner creeks and rivers, and 59% cleaner streets and neighborhoods
- Alameda County: 85% fewer bag purchases overall as stores reported buying 50-90% fewer bags, more than double the amount of customers are now bringing in their own bags or leaving without any
- San Francisco (Table ES-5): 18% fewer plastic bags in street litter from 2007 to 2009
- Mountain View: From July 2009 to July 2014, observed that shoppers using single-use bags decreased from 66% to 11%, while shoppers that used reusable bags or no bags increased from 34% to 89%
- San Mateo County: 162% more people bringing their own bags, 130% more people carrying out items without a bag