REYES SACKS PLASTIC BAGS IN L.A.

July 22, 2008

City Council unanimously approves Reyes' motion to ban plastic bags in City by 2010, and polystyrene in City facilities by July 1, 2009

Councilmember Ed P. Reyes' motion to ban polystyrene food containers in all City facilities beginning July 1, 2009 was unanimously approved by the City Council today.

The City Council, by a 13-0 vote, also approved an amendment introduced by Reyes today that bans plastic bags by July 1, 2010, if the State has not imposed a fee of at least 25 cents by then.

"Plastic bags have been the graffiti of the L.A. River for decades," said Reyes, who chairs the L.A. River Ad Hoc Committee.

The plan requires officials to replace food containers made of polystyrene — commonly known by the brand Styrofoam — at city-owned facilities such as Los Angeles International Airport(LAX), public libraries, the Convention Center and City-sponsored events.

"We've gotten to a point where we need to act as a city, where we can have real results. We're trying to do it in a way where we can educate and inform the public of what we're doing,'' Reyes said. "It's going to take time to change."

After the citywide ban of plastic bags in July 2010, consumers will have to use their own canvas bags or pay 25 cents for a paper, compostable or biodegradable bag. Of that fee, 3 percent would go to the retailer, 3 percent will go to the state, and the rest of the money will go back to the city to fund an education campaign.

The plastic bag and polystyrene bans complement the ongoing Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan, spearheaded by Reyes, which proposes transforming 32 miles of the concrete-lined River into a greenbelt linking communities.

On Thursday December 20, 2007, the City of Los Angeles joins Heal the Bay and 13 other cities in A Day Without a Bag — a grassroots day of education and action challenging holiday shoppers to fore-go one-time, plastic shopping bags!

The day's focus is to educate shoppers into action in eliminating unsightly debris, save tax dollars, and save our environment by using reusable tote bags. Why?

		More than 6 billion plastic bags are used in L.A. County each year
		Disposable bags cost our fiscally-strained cities up to 17 cents per bag for disposal
		Plastic bags are made from petroleum. Americans use over 380 billion bags every year, throwing away millions of barrels of oil

Partnership A coalition of environmental/community organizations, retail partners and government bodies will motivate consumers by handing out thousands of reusable bags and conducting on-site education at sites throughout county. This is a positive day of education and action, encouraging residents to take an immediate proactive step to reduce waste and improve the local environment. Focus is raising consumer awareness and changing behavior, rather than advocating any specific legislative action. To find out more, visit Heal the Bay's web site.