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(Los Angeles, Ca) – Los Angeles is considering a ban on plastic bags as part of a bag ban ordinance introduced by Councilmember Paul Koretz. The California Student Public Interest Research Group was joined by Councilmember Koretz and local activists to show support for banning plastic bags.

Councilmember Paul Koretz recently introduced a ban on single-use grocery bags in Los Angeles. The city's Board of Public Works voted unanimously last month to approve a report urging the mayor and city council to adopt a citywide ban on single-use carryout bags.

“We are thrilled to see Los Angeles jump on board the plastic bag ban movement,” said CALPIRG intern Josh Joiner. “We are proud to support Councilmember Paul Koretz’ ordinance and the Board of Public Work’s unanimous decision to ban bags in L.A. 

There is a lot of support brewing for the ban, and the USC CALPIRG chapter has been tirelessly working to spread knowledge throughout the campus community. The people of Los Angles use more than 2.3 billion plastic bags and 400 million paper bags in a year, and less than 5% of those bags are recycled, leaving the vast majority to landfills, clogging storm drains, or polluting our oceans. Furthermore, California spends $25 million cleaning up plastic bags from public places, storm drains and the waste systems each year.

“Plastic pollution is flowing to the ocean and has created a soupy mass of plastic pollution currently twice the size of Texas,” said Congressmember Koretz, “it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to get rid of it. By banning plastic bags in Los Angeles, economic and environmental costs will be reduced.”

If the bag ordinance passes, Los Angeles will be joining the 14 other cities and counties in California to reduce our dependence on plastic products as well as paper products.
“It is great to be part of a growing movement to ban plastic bags in California,” said James Dulac, the Oceans Campaign Coordinator for the USC CALPIRG chapter. “CALPIRG students voted to have the ocean campaign to ban plastic bags be the lead campaign on campuses across the state this year and is working to educate students by having face-to-face conversations and hosting oceans events,” said James.