Public Works Committee Considers Proposed Ban on Plastic Bags Ordinance on June 26
Ever wondered about the life cycle of the plastic bag that you get at grocery stores? Globally, the production of over a trillion single-use disposable plastic bags used each year requires over 12 million barrels of oil. Of that trillion, Californians use up 19 billion of those bags each year, and throw away 600 per second.The bags can cause severe problems for cities like Oakland as well as natural habitats. Many marine animals have perished through entanglement and ingestion caused by the plastic bags. Littered plastic bags are carried by storm water and wind into City storm drains that can lead to ecosystems like Lake Merritt, Oakland’s creeks, the estuary and into the Bay.On June 26, the Public Works Committee will hear the item regarding the ordinance banning the use of petroleum-based, non-biodegradable plastic bags. Because I believe we need to move toward oil independence and be good caretakers of our environment, I will be supporting this ordinance. The item will be heard between 12:30 pm and 2 pm. If you wish to speak on this item, please check back after June 16 here and fill out a time card here, or just before the beginning of the meeting itself. Note, the item # must be referenced on your speaker’s card.
The ordinance has three components. First, to address the negative environmental impacts of single-use plastic bags, this Ordinance would ban the use of petroleum-based non-biodegradable carry-out plastic bags at affected retail establishments. Click here for the staff report. Produce bags which are provided for in the fruit, vegetables or deli section are not affected. Second, to promote consumer awareness of environmentally friendly practices, the Ordinance encourages affected retail establishments to educate their customers regarding the use of reusable bags. Finally, the Ordinance allows the use of paper bags as an alternative to plastic bags and encourages a 5-cent surcharge on paper bags. The ordinance further stipulates that the paper for single-use paper bags must come from environmentally preferable sources, must be 100% recyclable, and must contain a minimum of 40% recycled content.