Politics & Government

Culver City Plastic Bag Ban Now in Effect

The single-use carryout bag ordinance was adopted by the City Council on May 28, but stores still have plenty of time before they have to comply.

Just days after the City of Los Angeles adopted a plastic bag ban, the City of Culver City’s ban officially went into effect on Thursday. The ordinance does not only ban single use carryout plastic bags, but local retailers will charge customers 10 cents to use a paper bag. 

The move brings Culver City in line with other local jurisdictions including unincorporated Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Pasadena and Long Beach.

However, while the ordinance went into effect Thursday (June 27), stores still have time to comply. According to the ordinance supermarkets and large retail stores with a pharmacy have until Dec. 28 2013 (six months) to comply with the ordinance, while grocery stores, convenience stores, Food Marts and drug stores have until June 27 2014 (12 months) to comply with the ordinance.

Find out what's happening in Culver Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

While retail stores will offer paper bags for 10 cents, customers are encouraged to bring their own, reusable bags or purchase reusable bags at stores.

Stores will be required to post a sign informing customers of the charge and make reusable bags available for customers to purchase (or for free) as an alternative. 

Find out what's happening in Culver Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Produce and product bags used for fresh fruit and vegetables or meat are not included in the ban.

In addition, customers that qualify for subsidized groceries through programs such as the Women, Infants and Children program and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program are also exempt from the charges.

Mayor Jeff Cooper told Patch the City has no big plans for today's rollout. "I expect it will be a slow day," he said.

For those that are still skeptical about the environmental hazards of using plastic bags, the City of Culver City has offered the following information:


Are single
use plastics bags really that harmful?

Yes. Single-use plastic bags are used in extremely high numbers and only a small fraction of them are ever recycled.  Some single-use plastic bags are reused, but many of them are simply used once and then discarded.  Once discarded, single-use plastic bags often remain in the environment for decades or longer.  These bags can end up in landfills or be swept away by the wind and get caught in trees, fences, and storm drains.  Eventually, plastic bags can find their way to the ocean where they can do significant damage to wildlife.  For example, animals may become tangled in the bags, or the bags can be mistaken for food and accidentally ingested by marine life. 

What about paper bags?

Single-use paper bags are more easily recycled and more compostable than single-use plastic bags.  Also, they do not create the same problems associated with litter and marine life.  However, single-use paper bags are still damaging to the environment.  It has been estimated that 14 million trees are cut down every year to make paper bags for shoppers in the US.  Furthermore, it takes a significant amount of energy to produce, distribute, and dispose of paper bags.  To help improve the environmental impact of the paper bags you use and keep them out of our landfills, be sure to recycle them.  For more information on the City's recycling program, please click here.

Why are reusable bags better for the environment?

There are also environmental impacts associated with the production and distribution of reusable bags.  However, reusable bags can be used many times and thus create less landfill waste and fewer environmental impacts than other types of bags.  In order to do your part to improve the environmental benefits of these bags, try to buy locally-sourced bags and reuse them as many times as you can.  As always, be sure to keep in mind the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle.


Where can I find information on the environmental impacts of this Ordinance?

Culver City’s Ordinance is based on Los Angeles County’s Ordinance. To download Los Angeles County’s Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and other supporting documents, please click here. To download Culver City’s Addendum to Los Angeles County’s FEIR, please click here.


Where can I get additional updates/information?

For more information, please call the Public Works Department at (310) 253-6411 or email by clicking here. 


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