Plastic Bags Soon To Be Extinct in Long Beach Grocery Stores

Plastic Bags Soon To Be Extinct in Long Beach Grocery Stores

An ordinance issued by the City Council of Long Beach has shortened the life span of plastic bags in grocery, convenience, and drug stores in LBC.

no plastic bags
By the end of the year, plastic bags will not be available in most Long Beach grocery and department stores.

The ordinance banning plastic bags was issued on May 24, 2011 and will prevent large stores from offering plastic bags to their customers starting on August 1, 2011.  The ban will go into effect for smaller stores in January 2012.

Shoppers that want to carry their groceries home will either have to bring their own bags or buy a recyclable paper bag of $0.10.

Los Angeles County has already implemented a similar ban on plastic bags in unincorporated areas which went into effect on July 1.

In a video posted to YouTube, Long Beach Vice Mayor Suja Lownthal shared that these bans are an effort to prevent plastic bags from contributing to the pollution of local environments.

“The purpose is to reduce litter in neighborhoods, reduce plastic debris in waterways and stormdrains, and reduce waste transported to landfills” Lowenthal stated.

Its my opinion that most people will go along with the ordinance and either:

  1. Re-use plastic bags from a previous visit (this will be me; i have kitchen drawer full of them!)
  2. Buy reusable bags and take those to the store (I’m stashing a few in my car right now)
  3. Shell out the ten cents to get a paper bag when they forget to bring something from home (with the other taxes, I dout they will notice the difference!)

I’m sure that there will also be people that will take exception to their “right” to get a free bag from a store.

To those people I say this:  go shop somewhere else.  But before you do, swing by my place.  I’d be glad to sell you a plastic bag for a nickel!

In the end, I think we will all be better off.  Long Beach is taking the lead and setting a precedent for doing this the right way.  it might be a pain for a while, but we will all benefit in the long run.

For more information on the plastic bag ban — and opportunities to get free reusable bags — visit the Litter Free LB website.

2 Responses

  1. Very interesting. I normally always bring bags, but when I make an unplanned trip it’s nice to have the option of plastic, they are so much easier to carry than paper.

    1. I agree. I try to be good about taking a reusable bag but I either leave it in the car or leave it in the house from my previous shopping trip. If i only get one or two things i try not to get a bag at all.
      Fortunately this is only in Long Beach for now. it will be coming to all of LA county soon though!