American Canyon adopts ban on plastic bags

SAN DIEGO (Scrap Monster): Following 100 other California counties and cities, American Canyon has decided to ban the distribution of disposable plastic bags at retail stores.

The City Council debated the matter during two meetings that were three months apart so that staff could inform residents and businesses and collect feedback.

The American Canyon ordinance is very similar to the city of Napa’s. It will prohibit retail stores from giving customers disposable plastic bags, but allow them to sell recycled paper bags for 10 cents apiece. In Napa County, St. Helena and Calistoga also have similar bans.

The council passed the ordinance 4-1 Tuesday night.

Councilmember Mark Joseph refused to go along with Mayor Leon Garcia, Vice Mayor Kenneth Leary and Councilmembers Joan Bennett and Belia Ramos in supporting the ordinance.

The majority expressed similar views on the issue, those being American Canyon needed to ban the use of plastic bags at stores to help protect the environment.

“The trend is people are understanding the environmental concerns of these plastic bags winding up in the rivers and the ocean, and the need to make a change,” said Bennett.

At the same time, however, “People are not responsible, people are not being disciplined” about not throwing away plastic bags, Bennett said. “The reality of it is sometimes we do have to have laws that are in the best interests of the community.”

More than a dozen residents showed up at the meeting to voice both support and opposition for the ordinance, something that has rarely happened during other key issues.

Janelle Sellick, a major figure in the community when it comes to parks, said she was in favor of the ordinance.

“We are a community that values our open space, and values our environment,” said Sellick. “We don’t want plastic bags, we don’t want litter in our open spaces. We are a forward thinking community.”

Other residents like Sindy Biederman, who is active in veterans and law enforcement issues, was equally adamant in saying the ordinance was a bad idea.

“I’m all for recycling,” said Biederman, “but there’s a better way” that does not “line the pockets of retail stores.”

Biederman and others, including Joseph, objected to passing a law that tells stores like Safeway and Walmart to charge customers 10 cents for a recycled bag and for them to keep the money.

“We’re telling the retailers to collect it and keep it [the 10 cents],” said Joseph, who wanted to amend the ordinance to mandate how the money is used.

Instead of doing the same thing Napa and other communities are doing, Joseph said, “Let’s be bold and creative” on this issue.

But his motion to consider other things on which to spend the money from 10-cent bags failed to get any support from the other council members.

The ban will go into effect on Jan. 1.

Locally adopted plastic bag bans are not affected by a planned referendum on California’s November 2016 ballot to overturn a statewide ban.

Courtesy: www.napavalleyregister.com