Single Use Bag Ordinance

Single Use Bag Ordinance

The project is a proposed ordinance that would ban the use of single use plastic carryout bags, require that all paper carryout bags have a minimum of 40% post consumer recycled content, and encourage the use of reusable carryout bags in the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County, thereby reducing the number of bags manufactured, and the number that are released to the natural environment or disposed of in landfills. Chapter 5.48 of the County Code would prohibit retail product stores from making plastic carryout bags available at checkout stands, and would require them to charge $0.10 on each paper carryout bag at the point of sale for a period of one year from the date Chapter 5.48 of the County Code takes effect. The charge would be increased to $0.25 on each paper carryout bag beyond the initial one-year period. The Board of Supervisors may periodically review the store charge to judge its effectiveness. The ordinance would become effective six (6) months after the date of final passage by the County of Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

Countywide

California Coastal Commission (CCC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Transportation, District 5 (DOT), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region 3 (RWQCB), Department of Water Resources, Resources Agency, Resources, Recycling and Recovery

New Ordinance

Biological Resources, Cumulative Effects, Hydrology/Water Quality, Green House Gasses