Encinitas, CA - Latest City to Ban Plastic Bags

Turtle Eating Plastic Photo
Image source: San Diego Coastkeeper

Last night, the Encinitas, CA City Council Natural Resources Committee voted to draft a ban on plastic bags, which may include a fee for customers use of any single-use plastic bags and paper bags as reported on KPBS. Next, its up to the City Attorney's office to develop language and guidelines for the program, which may be up for a vote this November.

The City of San Diego, the second largest city in California, is also considering a similar ban, as is the state of California. The California Ocean Protection Council is looking at not only banning plastic bags state-wide, but also requiring that all take-out container manufacturers take their products back and properly dispose of them. Countries around the world have already banned the bag. Coastal cities in the US - San Francisco, Annapolis, Manhattan Beach and now Encinitas - tend to be the first to enact similar bans.

Encinitas is a coastal community in San Diego County and is concerned with their contribution to the high level of plastic pollution the ocean. San Diego Coastkeeper estimates that up to 80% of ocean litter is plastic, which takes over 1,000 years to ultimately photodegrade. Over 600 plastic bags are discarded each second in California alone, according to San Diego Coastkeepr.

Live in San Diego? Want to get involved? Go to San Diego Coastkeeper and find out more about their Zero Waste initiative as well as go online and find out how you can help.

::KPBS

More on Countries Banning Plastic Bag
China's Plastic Bag Ban is Working, So Far
Wait for Us! Australia Wants to Ban Plastic Bags Too!
Africa Wages War on Scourge of Plastic Bags

More on Stores Banning Plastic Bags
IKEA Bans Plastic Bags
TH Forums: Kohls Bans Reusable Bags
Whole Foods Bans the Bag

Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!