Plastic Bag Ban in Unincorporated LA County Begins July 1

By July, large stores in unincorporated Los Angeles County – like Rowland Heights and Hacienda Heights — will no longer ask, "paper or plastic?"

A ban on plastic bags passed at the county level in November of 2010 will take effect in unincorporated L.A. County at "large stores" in July and in smaller stores in January of 2012. Paper bags will be available at checkout but will come with a 10 cent fee.

For residents and shoppers who regularly venture to Rowland or Hacienda Heights, the county department of public works will be giving out reusable canvas bags at the following locations through the end of June, according to a press release from County Supervisor Gloria Molina:

• Monday - Rite Aid, 18993 Colima Road, Rowland Heights
• Tuesday - Rite Aid, 2060 S. Hacienda Boulevard, Hacienda Heights
• Friday - 99 Ranch Market, 1015 S. Nogales St., Rowland Heights
• June 24 - 99 Ranch Market, 1625 S. Azusa Ave., Hacienda Heights
• June 24 - Galleria Market, 18317 Colima Road, Rowland Heights
• June 27 - TS Emporium, 1457 Nogales St., Rowland Heights
• June 29 - Albertsons, 17120 Colima Road, Hacienda Heights
• June 29 - Albertsons, 19725 Colima Road, Hacienda Heights

Supervisor Don Knabe, whose district includes Rowland Heights and Diamond Bar, said he supported a single-use plastic bag ban but that would rather see a ban at the state level, "if there is going to be a ban," according to a press release.

Knabe succeeded in changing language of the original bill to broaden the definition of reusable bags to include those that can be "cleaned or disinfected" and not just "machine washable bags."

Knabe said the change would allow many locally-owned manufacturing plants to produce reusable carryout bags.

In April, Diamond Bar High Students spoke to the city council about a city-wide ban on plastic bags as part of an environmental science class at the school.

For more information, visit www.aboutthebag.com or call (888) CLEANLA.