Los Angeles County Reports a 95% Reduction in Single-Use Bags at Stores Covered by Bag Ordinance

Los Angeles County's single-use bag ordinance went into effect at large retail establishments in unincorporated LA County on July 1, 2011.  One year later, official reports show that overall single-use bag use was reduced by 95%, which includes a 30% reduction in single-use paper bags.  (Click here and scroll down to the "Announcements" section.)  LA County's ordinance included a ban on plastic bags and a 10-cent charge for paper bags. These reduction statistics show that second generation plastic bag bans, meaning those that ban plastic bags and either ban or put a charge on paper bags, are incredibly effective at achieving overall single-use bag reduction.