Many jurisdictions (cities, states and countries) have enacted fees or bans on various forms of plastic. Bans on single use plastic bags and plastic water bottles are common. StopPlastics has prepared a list of jurisdictions with bans or fees and updates it on a regular basis.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Hayward, Ban
Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Hermosa Beach, California, Ban
The Hermosa Beach City Council moved this week to ban the use of single-use plastic bags at businesses beginning in October 2015.
Council members voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance that would prohibt use of the bags and allow affected businesses to charge 10 cents per paper bag.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Honolulu, Hawaii, Ban
In July 2015, Honolulu, Hawaii introduced a ban on single use plastic bags (with small exceptions, e.g. for medical use). The bill was passed by County Councils, rather than by the state legislature, which was a real victory for the local grassroots organizations.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Hyde County, North Carolina, Ban
Plastic bags are banned in Hyde County, North Carolina as of October 1, 2010. Retailers are allowed to distribute paper bags as long as the bags are made from at least 40 percent recycled materials and are labeled as ‘made from recycled material’ and ‘recyclable.’ Retailers who provide paper bags must also offer a discount to shoppers who bring their own reusable bags.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Indio, California, Ban
Beginning July 1, 2015 single-use plastic bags are prohibited in Indio. Paper bags are available for a 10-cent fee.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Isle of Palms, South Carolina, Ban
A proposal under review in Isle of Palms would ban disposable plastic bags.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Kermit, Texas, Ban
Starting November 1, 2013 disposable plastic bags were banned from most grocery and convenience stores in Kermit. The ban also levies a 10-cent fee on paper bags.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, King City, California, Ban
Starting January 1, 2015 grocery stores in King City can no longer distribute single-use plastic bags. Paper bags are available for 10 cents.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, LA County, Ban
LA County decided to pass a ban on plastic bags to combat the economic and environmental problems they cause. The ban covers unincorporated areas within the County. The ban also mandates that a 10-cent fee be charged for each paper bag handed out. The paper bag fee is not subject to State sales tax and the stores get to keep all of the money raised by the fee to help comply with the ordinance.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Laguna Beach, California, Ban
The City Council in Laguna Beach unanimously passed a plastic bag ban that also mandates a 10-cent fee to be charged on each paper bag given out. The City earmarked $5,000 for an education campaign to help residents and businesses get up to speed with the measure.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Laguna Vista, Texas, Ban
There was so much support to the proposed plastic bag ban in Laguna Vista that is quickly passed through the local government. The ban is strictly voluntary through the end of 2012, but after that time the ban is mandatory
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Larchmont, New York, Ban
The ban prohibits retailers from handing out disposable plastic bags. Shoppers are encouraged to use reusable shopping bags, and paper bags made from recycled content will be allowed.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Laredo, Texas, Ban
The Laredo City Council passed a ban that prohibits the distribution of disposable bags. This measure was scheduled to become official on January 10, 2015; however, after some revisions the measure went into effect on April 30, 2015. The Laredo Merchants Association has filed a lawsuit against the City in opposition to the ban.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Livermore, California, Ban
Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Long Beach, California, Ban
Long Beach wanted to reduce litter in neighborhoods and plastic debris in waterways, as well as the amount of trash sent off to landfills. To meet these goals a plastic bag ban was passed. A reusable shopping bag can replace 600 plastic carryout bags over its lifetime. Paper bags are available for a 10-cent fee and shoppers who use paper are strongly encouraged to recycle their paper bags.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Los Altos, California, Ban
In 2013 the City of Los Altos passed a law banning single-use plastic bags. The ban also levies a 10-cent fee on paper bags. Initially the paper bag fee was scheduled to increase to 25 cents per bag starting January 1, 2015; however the Town Council voted in November 2014 to keep the fee at 10 cents.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Los Angeles, California, Ban
Los Angeles became the largest U.S. cities to ban plastic bags in November of 2010, following the success of a ban that was instated by San Francisco
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Los Gatos, California, Ban
At one point Los Gatos passed a measure that imposed a fee on both paper and plastic bags. The Town Council later passed a ban on disposable plastic bags that began on February 3, 2014. Under the ban paper bags are available for a 10-cent fee. The fee was supposed to increase to 25 cents on January 1, 2015, but the Council decided to keep the fee at 10 cents.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Malibu, California, Ban
In response to low recycling rates and environmental concerns Malibu implemented a ban on plastic shopping bags. Retail and commercial establishments, as well as restaurants have not been allowed to hand out plastic or compostable plastic bags within the city limits since the first wave of the ban went into effect in December 2008.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Mamaroneck, New York, Ban
Mamaroneck recently joined the ranks of fellow Westchester County city, Rye, in passing a ban on disposable shopping bags. The Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved the law that banishes both paper and plastic disposable bags. The law gained momentum with residents due to the negative impact the bags have on the environment and the hassles plastic bags cause when they block and clog waterways and sewers.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass, Ban
Manchester-by-the-Sea adopted a plastic bag ban at its annual town meeting that is set to reduce the amount of plastic litter that damages the coast. Environmental concerns were a major reason behind the passage of this bylaw. Plastic is one of the most harmful items to ocean wildlife, killing hundreds of thousands of marine animals each year, Environment Massachusetts reports. A recent study by the organization, “Top Ten Facts about Plastic Bags in the Ocean,” documents the harm that plastic bags can do to ocean wildlife, including the endangered leatherback sea turtles in Massachusetts Bay; 85 percent of sea turtles are injured or killed by plastic bags in their lifetimes.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Manhattan Beach, California, Ban
The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to prohibit restaurants from distributing single-use carry-out plastic bags and to extend its ban on polystyrene products to include utensils, straws, cup lids and foam coolers. After a second reading of the ordinances at the April 1 City Council meeting, the new laws could become enforceable as early as June.
The city made headlines in July 2008 as one of the first municipalities to ban the distribution of plastic bags for all retail establishments. Following a lawsuit from The Save the Plastic Bag Coalition, the city battled to prove the legality of the ban and ultimately won, with the California Supreme Court upholding the ordinance and ordering the coalition to pay the city’s legal fees. In 2012, however, the Manhattan Beach City Council amended the law to exempt restaurants from the ban to avoid further litigation under the California Retail Food Code.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Marblehead, Maine, Ban
Both disposable plastic bags and Styrofoam are banned in Marblehead. The measure was passed in May 2014 will be phased in over the following 12 months.Marblehead Public Health Department will enforce compliance, imposing financial penalties after a first warning. The fines are cumulative and can it a maximum of $300 per offense and each day constitutes a separate offense, according to the bylaw.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Marina, California, Ban
On August 19, 2014 the City of Marina adopted a law banning single-use plastic bags and levying a charge on paper and reusable bags. The law became effective in all retail stores on March 19, 2015.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Mercury, California, Ban
A law in Mercury prohibits retail establishments from distributing single-use plastic bags starting January 1, 2015.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Milpitas, California, Ban
In a 4-0 vote the Milpitas City Council approved a measure to ban single-use plastic bags. Paper bags most have more than 40% PCW recycled content and will be available for a 10-cent fee. The ban goes into action on January 1, 2016.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Monterey County, California, Ban
Single-use plastic bags are banned in unincorporated areas of Monterey County.Despite California’s landmark plastic bag-ban being halted until at least November 2016, several local ordinances are still going into effect in the coming weeks.
The law was automatically put off Tuesday after opponents gathered enough signatures to force a statewide referendum on the bill, which was approved by the Legislature last year and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown. But the development won’t impact bans in Pacific Grove, Salinas, Marina and Monterey County.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Monterey, California, Ban
Monterey kicked their plastic bag habit in June 2012. Their disposable plastic bag ban extends to stores within the city limits and paper bags will still be available for a minimum of 10 cents per bag.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Morgan Hill, California, Ban
The Morgan Hill City Council passed a ban that will prohibit single use plastic bags. The law allows disposable paper bags, but levies a fee for each paper bag handed out. The ban became effective on April 22, 2014.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Morrow Bay, California, Ban
Single-use plastic bags are banned in Morro Bay as part of a ban implemented in San Luis Obispo County. Under the measure paper bags are available for a 10-cent fee.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Nantucket, Mass, Ban
In 1990 the community of Nantucket banned disposable plastic shopping bags. This island community was faced with an overflowing landfill and a proposed and costly solution that involved shipping trash to a landfill on the mainland. Instead the people of Nantucket banned plastic bags and implemented strict recycling codes.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, New Paltz, New York, Ban
Kathleen Frizzell owns the Convenient Deli, a seven-day-a-week operation that caters to SUNY New Paltz students. She supports the ban. She thinks it's a good idea. But she also calls it 'a drop in the bucket.'
She knows this because she's seen the bucket and she's seen what's in it. Frizzell is a scuba diver.
'I've seen the damage that's been done to reefs. I've even picked up the garbage from the ocean floor
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Newburyport, Maine, Ban
As of March 29, 2015 disposable plastic bags are prohibited in Newburyport.When the Newburyport City Council approved the ban six months ago, it was hoped that customers would switch to using reusable rather than paper bags, Taintor said, and that has always been the goal of Citizens for Sustainable Bagging.
“It involves learning new habits,” Taintor said. “It may be difficult initially for people to make the switch from being provided single use plastic bags to remembering to bring their own reusable bags, but like learning to ride a bike, once you know how, you don’t forget.”
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Newburyport, Mass, Ban
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Newton, Mass, Ban
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Northampton, Mass, Pending Ban
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Oakland, California, Ban
Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Outer Banks, North Carolina, Ban
In September 2009 disposable plastic bags were banned from large retailers in the Outer Banks. In October 2010 the ban extended to all retailers, including small souvenir and bait-and-tackle shops. The ban was temporarily lifted in 2011 after a tornado touched down in the area; however, the single-use plastic bag ban was reinstated in July of 2011.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Pacific Grove, California, Ban
Previous efforts to ban disposable plastic bags in Pacific Grove failed to pass; however, the City Council was able to add Chapter 11.98 to the Municipal Code. Effective March 1, 2015 single-use plastic bags are prohibited in retail stores. Paper bags are available for a 10-cent fee.
NORTH AMERICA, USA, Palm Desert, California, Ban
The Palm Desert Citizens' Sustainability Committee approved a proposed ban on plastic shopping bags. The mayor, Jan Harnik, and the City Council also approved the measure.
