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Plastic bags on death row |
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Thursday, 07 August 2008 |
With L.A. and San Francisco bagging plastic, will Mammoth follow suit?
By Stacey Powells
Mammoth Times Staff Writer
 mammoth times photos/susan morning
Will the Town of Mammoth Lakes follow in the footsteps of these urban areas that are passing ordinances to ban plastic bags?
On June 18, members from the Mammoth High School presented a service project to the Mammoth Lakes Town Council which included various ways in which to reduce the use of plastic bags. According to 2008 graduate MHS student Dylan Burditt, the Council has tabled the issue of banning plastic bags for future discussion with the possibility of the Town Council voting on whether or not to ban plastic bags from Vons. “Because it was a presentation item, the Council couldn't actually 'discuss' the issue or take action on it at that meeting,” said Town Clerk Anita Hatter in an emai. “Council provided staff with direction to agendize potential legislation for a future meeting. A date hasn't been set, as yet.”
This year, Assemblyman Lloyd Levin, D-Los Angeles, sponsored legislation to require stores in California to slash their use of plastic bags 70 percent by 2010 – or begin charging 25 cents for each bag they issue starting Jan. 1, 2011. That's the gist of his Assembly Bill 2058, which passed the Assembly early in June, 2008 and is on its way to the State Senate Environmental Quality Committee.
This also applies to paper carryout bags as well. Stores will be required to demonstrate that any revenue collected, excluding the cost of the bags and a reasonable financial return, is used by the store to implement specified paper/plastic carryout bag recycling, cleanup and waste reduction programs.
San Francisco passed the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance that went into effect on Nov. 20, 2007. The two types of retail stores governed by that Ordinance are supermarkets with gross annual sales of $2 million or more that sell: dry grocery, canned goods, or non-food items and some perishable items, and retail pharmacies with five or more locations under the same ownership within San Francisco. Retail stores governed by this ordinance can only provide recyclable paper bags or reusable bags of any material to its customers.
Because he has been on the ground floor of the plastic bag issue, the MT asked Town of Mammoth Lakes Human Resources and Risk Management Director Michael Grossblatt his thoughts on the plastic bag issue.
MT: Who is spearheading the campaign to get rid of plastic bags in our area?
MG: This idea was first discussed by Lisa Issacs at the County Solid Waste Task Force Committee. This committee is comprised of various agencies/entities in Mono County who advise the county board on matters concerning the county's solid waste landfill program. Lisa represents MMSA and I represent the Town. Both Lisa and I pushed this idea given the success of the city of San Francisco in banning non-biodegradable plastic bags.
MT: Why is it so important to diminish the use of plastic bags?
MG: Plastic bags are one of the prime sources of litter in the Town of Mammoth Lakes and the county. The wind drives them everywhere – sort of like parachutes. Further, they take many years to degrade. As such, the cumulative impact of the plastic bags is horrible. In addition, since they are petroleum based, they use precious energy resources in their production, and they can be dangerous to wildlife.
MT: How involved is the Town in trying to pass an ordinance banning the use of plastic bags?
MG: The Town is currently monitoring statewide initiatives designed to reduce the use of plastic bags. The Town also has an option of changing our municipal code to ban the use of plastic bags and/or require the use of biodegradable plastic bags similar to the City of San Francisco and, most recently, by the City of Los Angeles.
MT: Has there been any opposition to this proposal?
MG: I have not heard any local opposition as yet. The plastic and retailing industry gets involved however with efforts by entities to push such bans. Obviously, the plastic industry has a financial interest in this issue given the tremendous use of plastic bags by the retailing industry. The retailing and business community has concerns as well – mandating alternative products and/or solutions could result in passing on the additional costs to the end consumer.
MT: Is the town council going to vote on this? If so, when?
MG: Limited staff resources within the county and town have prevented this effort from moving forward the past couple of years. Instead, in the Town of Mammoth Lakes, our efforts have focused on plastic bag clean-up efforts around the Town and working with Vons to provide recycling opportunities and product alternatives. Given that the senior high school AP Government class came forward with this class project back in April of this year, which was followed by the Council presentation on June 18, this issue has gotten some well needed momentum.
At this point, staff needs policy direction from the Council before we move forward with this issue. As stated earlier, several options are on the table i.e. waiting for the statewide initiatives to be passed into law or changing our local municipal code. A public hearing on this issue will likely be held in the fall so the council hears from all segments of the community regarding the impacts of banning plastic bags from the community. For those individuals who feel strongly about this issue either way, they are encouraged to come to the future public hearing or communicate with the Town Council.
MT: Approximately what does the town spend on plastic bag clean-up, if anything?
MG: It is difficult to quantify the dollars spent as plastic bags are part of the overall general clean-up efforts of the town. This includes Town Clean Up Day efforts, working with the community to prevent dumpster spills, and public education efforts to let citizens know there are other alternatives to plastic bags – such as bringing your own reusable bags when you shop at Vons. By the way, Vons sells very inexpensive reusable bags and everyone is encouraged to start using them!
Mono County Supervisor Byng Hunt is all for a general ban on the use of plastic bags, both because they can be a garbage eyesore and because of the fact that most plastics are a direct derivative of oil, the consumption of which he believes must be reduced in the future. “My wife, Joanne, just shared with me last night that she very conveniently did without plastic bags (or any bags) at Vons,” Hunt said. “Simply by reloading her cart after checkout without bags, wheeling out to the car, where she used reusable bags to unload and take home the groceries. It can be easily done, and I fully support the idea!”
Town of Mammoth Lakes Mayor Wendy Sugimura said the town has been looking at ways to become more of an environmental leader and this is one way the it can accomplish that goal.
“Our biggest challenge in trying to implement a ban is trying to build a consensus on some kind of ordinance we can pass,” Sugimura said. “I think it's great and helpful that the push is coming from the high school students so there is some kind of community leadership as opposed to the government trying to impose something. It will cut down the amount of trash into and out of the landfill, as well as stop the wildlife from getting entangled in the bags. It might be a bit of an inconvenience at first if they have to carry in their own canvas bags because it's hard to get people to change a habit. It just requires that extra awareness. Hopefully, within the next few years – with the students at the high school, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and the Sierra Business Council behind the banning of plastic bags – it will move forward.”
“I've been converted for years away from plastic bags,” said town council member Jo Bacon. “Personally, I support the idea but I don't know what impact we would have on influencing private businesses to do this if we banned plastic bags.”
Bill Ebeck, Director of Sales for Advance Polybag, Inc. out of Texas (who supply the plastic bags used by Vons), says that plastic bags aren't toxic and that the problem comes from littering. “If people disposed of the plastic bags properly and used them properly, they wouldn't end up in the oceans and in the trees,” Ebeck said. “There isn't one toxic substance in the plastic bags we make. They are inert.”
Ebeck said there are a lot of misnomers out there when politicians and environmentalists get involved. “It takes our plastic bags to degrade in a landfill about as long as it takes newspaper or a hot dog. Nothing degrades in a landfill.”
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 August 2008 )
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