Plastic bags will soon be banned at all retailers in West Hollywood.
Since Feb. 20, large retailers — buildings of 10,000 square feet or more — have been required to stop using plastic bans due to the Plastic Bag Ban ordinance passed by the WeHo City Council in August 2012. Now, smaller stores must stop offering plastic bags by Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Farmers markets, restaurants and other food service providers are excluded from the ban.
The ban is similar to the ones in neighboring cities, including Santa Monica, Malibu, Calabasas and Long Beach, and is based on the ban currently in effect in Los Angeles County.
The city hopes to encourage sustainability by substituting plastic bags with durable and long-lasting reusable bags and paper bags made from recycled materials; as well as reduce costs to businesses, consumers, taxpayers and the environment. A ban on single-use plastic bags eliminates a major source of litter and marine debris.
Impacted retail businesses will include the following:
• All retail stores and supermarkets.
• 10-cent fee for paper bags to be retained by each retailer to help cover the costs of stocking paper bags and any related outreach or promotional efforts.
• Paper bags will be required to contain 40 percent post-consumer recycled content.
Exemptions include the following:
• Customers who qualify for subsidized groceries will be exempt from the paper bag fee.
• Light-weight plastic bags without handles for transporting produce and raw meat products to the point of sale.
• Restaurants and other food service providers who provide plastic bags to customers for prepared take-out food intended for off-premises consumption.
• Drycleaners and farmers markets.
More information online.
