- 25 June 2013 | Environment
History has been made. The city of Los Angeles has decided to ban plastic bags.
Victory never tasted so sweet. The City Council has voted 11 to 1 for the ordinance, which will go into effect in 2014. No more plastic bags in the Californian metropolis.
Shoppers can bring reusable bags or pay stores 10 cents per paper bag. The biggest city in the USA has taken a historic decision and may well influence others to follow the same step towards the future.
The ban doesn't only apply to grocery stores, it will also include big retail chains like Target and Wal-Mart.
"Enough waiting for the Legislature to someday act on this," Councilman Paul Krekorian said. "Let's take a lead." By 2014, at least 30% of California's population will be covered by laws regulating checkout bags in favor of reusable bags.
Businesses that fail to comply with the law would face a fine of $100 after the first violation, $200 after the second and $500 after the third.