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Shoppers in West Hollywood, you're hopefully in the swing of things with your trendy reusable bags, since you've needed them to bag up your bundles at big retail establishments for a few months now. Today the ban gets a bit bigger, with retail establishments smaller than 10,000 square feet now having to scrap the disposable plastic.
The ban, which was approved a year ago, prohibits retail stores from handing out single-use plastic bags with purchases. Consumers in the City of West Hollywood must bring their own, or pay 10 cents per paper bag at point of sale.
City of West Hollywood
West Hollywood explains why they joined several other Southern California cities in implementing a ban:
The purpose of the ban on single-use plastic bags is to encourage sustainability by substituting plastic bags with durable and long-lasting reusable bags and paper bags made from recycled materials; as well as reduce costs to businesses, consumers, taxpayers and the environment. A ban on single-use plastic bags eliminates a major source of litter and marine debris. Through this initiative, residents have the opportunity to personally contribute toward reducing waste in the City.
Exemptions include restaurants offering take-out, small handle-less bags for produce and meat, farmers' markets, and dry cleaners.
WeHo's plastic bag ban aligns with those of unincorporated L.A. County, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Long Beach and Pasadena.
