Plastic Bag Ban In Menlo Park Starts This Week

Menlo Park’s City Council unanimously approved an ordinance in January that bans the use of plastic bags within city limits and forces retailers to start charging customers for paper bags on Monday, April 22. 

The ordinance adopted by Menlo Park bans all carryout plastic bags at retail and grocery stores, although fast food establishments will be exempt. Grocery stores will be allowed to use plastic produce and prescription bags, as well as the sheets of plastic wrap that go around meat from the deli counter. 

To discourage people from using disposable bags, grocery stores will charge a minimum of 10 cents per paper bag, which must be made of at least 40% recycled content. This cost will increase to 25 cents on January 1, 2015, if City Council decides it is working well. 

Local businesses that do not comply with the new law will be fined $100 for the first violation, $200 for a second, and $500 for the third, according to city staff. 

The city adopted the county’s ordinance with the caveat that government officials could review the effects of the ban before the cost to customers rises. According the Enironmental Impact Report about the ordinance, which was prepared and paid for by San Mateo County, more than 552 million plastic bags were used annually in the studied area. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved it on October 23, 2012.  

City officials hope the new law will contribute to the goal of reducing litter in storm drains by 40% by 2014.

Do you think it will? Scroll down and tell us in the comments. 

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