Today’s the day, San Franciscans: either buy a reusable bag or start carrying extra dimes because our expanded plastic bag ban/paper bag fee rules have officially taken effect.
As the Chron reminds us, in addition to grocery stores and chain pharmacies, now all retail stores are required to carry only paper or compostible bags (no more plastic) that they’ll be charging ten cents each for.
All this is to encourage you to bring your own bags — SF Environment has even reached out to over 9,000 retailers and is set to hold 50+ events over the next two months to distribute free reusable bags. According to the Chron, 10,000 free reusable bags will also be distributed at “Citibank locations.”
SF joins 49 other cities and counties in the state with their plastic bag ban ordinance. Though this is a big move since the initial 2007 law banning plastic bags, there’s more to come: next October, restaurants must also follow suit.
Eventually, ABC7 reminds us, SF hopes to reach its “zero waste” goal (that is, “nothing to landfill or incineration“) with initiatives such as this one.
As Mission Local reports, many businesses have already embraced the move.
Says Hidden Paradise Caf?? co-owner Josh Lopez, “I’d be happy if all plastic was gone. It takes years to break down. [By getting rid of it] you save the world a little bit.”
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