Plastic bag bans are being passed more frequently across the U.S., but they date back over 10 years ago when the French island of Corsica became the first to ban plastic bags in large stores in 1999. Bangladesh followed suit in 2002 and became the first large country to ban all polyethylene bags.  San Francisco became the first US city to place a ban in 2007.  Since then more and more countries and cities are banning plastic bags and/or implementing a plastic bag tax.  Hopefully one day single use plastic bags will be completely banned throughout the world, but that may take awhile.  So in the meantime, we have put together the definitive plastic bag ban guide to help you keep track of all of the plastic bag bans.

Europe

France

• All supermarkets in France now have a tax on plastic bags. In 2005, French lawmakers voted to ban non-biodegradable plastic bags by 2010. The French island of Corsica became the first to ban plastic bags in large stores in 1999.

Ireland

• There is a tax on plastic bags at supermarkets. Since the levy was introduced in 2002, the use of disposable plastic shopping bags has been reduced by about 90% and a decrease of 95% in plastic bag litter.
• In the first year after the introduction of the 15 cent levy, just under 90 million bags were bought by the public and fell to less than 85 million in 2003. But since then the number has risen to 100 million in 2004 and at least 113 million in 2005.  The plastic bag levy has increased to 22 cents today in a further bid to reduce littering.

United Kingdom

• In 2007 and 2008, the following municipalities banned plastic bags in the UK: Aylsham, Banchory, Girton, Hay-On-Wye, Hebden Bridge, Henfield, Kew, Llandysilio, Modbury, Overton, Selkirk, and Tisbury.
• Starting October 1st, Wales will become the first country in the United Kingdom to levy a charge on single-use carrier bags. The charge is part of Wales’ efforts to dramatically reduce the number of carrier bags provided to shoppers. According to Environment Minister Jane Davidson, each household used an average of 273 carrier bags just from grocery shopping.

Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland

• Currently, retailers charge for plastic check-out bags of their own accord without any government legislation in place.

Italy

• Italy has banned the distribution of non-biodegradable plastic bags at shops and retail points.  The plastic bag ban in Italy, adopted Dec. 22, went into effect Jan. 1 for the country. However, retail stores and supermarkets will be allowed to use up their stock of plastic bags, which they will have to hand out for free, rather than the traditional practice of charging a small fee.  A number of Italian cities, including Venice and Turin, had previously enacted plastic bag bans. Stores in Italy now will only be able to offer biodegradable, cloth or paper.

Belgium

• All supermarkets in Belgium now have a tax on plastic bags.

Bulgaria

• On July 1, 2011, Bulgaria implemented a tax on the use of plastic bags.  The tax will be increased gradually each year in order to make plastic bags increasingly costly, with the price of one bag to be raised to 55 stotinki in 2014 from the current 15 stotinki.

Asia

Bangladesh

• Taking action in March 2002, Bangladesh was the first large country to ban all polyethylene bags in the capital, Dhaka, after they were found to have been the main culprit during the 1988 and 1998 floods that submerged two-thirds of the country.

India

• In August 2003, the state government banned plastic bags in Himachal Pradesh, in Northern India. The government banned the manufacture, sale and use of all plastic bags.  Similar laws now also apply in Delhi, Mumbai, western Indian state of Maharashtra, Sikkim, Goa, Kerala and Karnatak states, where the plastic bag was banned in September 2005.  Manufacturers and stores selling plastic bags are fined or face imprisonment.

Taiwan

• A partial ban in 2003 phased out free bags in department stores and supermarkets and disposable plastic plates, cups and cutlery from fast food outlets. Most stores charge people who don’t bring their own ($0.03). A complete ban was introduced in 2007.

Israel

• Since 2008, customers in Israel have been charged a fee for every plastic bag that they use at supermarkets.

China

• In February 2008, China’s State Council put a nationwide ban on plastic bags. The cabinet demanded all stores (from major supermarkets to small shops) go plastic bag-free after June 1, 2008.  The ban prohibits shops, supermarkets, and sales outlets from handing out free plastic bags and bans the production, sale, and use of ultra-thin plastic bags under 0.025 millimeters thick.

Thailand

• The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is holding its 45-day ‘No Bag, No Baht’ project, which offers consumers a one-baht (three U.S. cents) discount for every 100 baht (nearly three dollars) purchase if they use their own cloth bags when shopping in several local markets. Meanwhile, each plastic bag will cost them one baht.

Africa

South Africa

• In May 2003, the South African government banned the use of thin plastic bags.  Retailers handing out the bags faced a fine of 100,000 rand ($13,800) or a 10-year jail sentence. Retailers and shoppers must purchase alternatives or strong plastic bags that are more profitable to recycle.

Rwanda

• As of May 2003, thin plastic bags are banned in Rwanda. Polythene products have been completely phased out and polythene bags have been collected and recycled into plastic pipes for use in sewage disposal.

Papua, New Guinea

• Papua adopted a plastic bag ban in 2004. Supermarkets that do not comply with the ban are charged a fee and may face jail time.

Tanzania (including Zanzibar)

• Zanzibar banned plastic bags in 2006 due to the negative effects that the bags had on the marine environment and the tourism industry.  Raffia bags are suggested by the government as an alternative.

KenyaandUganda

• Kenya and Uganda have both banned thin plastic bags in an effort to curb environmental damage as of June 14, 2007.

Australia

South Australia

• On May 4, 2009, South Australia banned lightweight, check-out style plastic bags.  The ban prevents any and all retailers from giving away or selling any plastic bag that is less than 35 microns thick and made of polyethylene polymer.

Northern Territory, Australia

• NT Parliament Passes Landmark Legislation.  In November 2010, Karl Hampton promised that the Northern Territory (NT) would be plastic bag free by mid-2011. On February 24th, that promise came true when the NT Parliament passed into law the Environmental Protection Bill 2010.

Chillingham, New South Wales, Australia

• The town of Chillingham, located in Northern New South Wales, Australia, is now the first Plastic Bag Free Village of Northern NSW. The small village plans to make a big impact on the environment. Eliminating plastic bags in the village has helped stop about 10,000 plastic bags yearly from going into local landfills or into the environment.

North America

San Francisco, California

• San Francisco was the first U.S. city to ban plastic shopping bags. Effective December 2007, large supermarkets and chain pharmacies were prohibited from distributing plastic checkout bags. Instead, they may only distribute reusable or biodegradable plastic bags.

Manhattan Beach, California

• Manhattan Beach implemented a plastic bag ban and was sued in July 2008 by the Save the Bag Coalition, a group representing plastic manufacturers, after unanimously passing an ordinance to ban carry-out bags. The group argued the city violated the California Environmental Quality Act by not fully analyzing the ban’s effects.  In July, 2011, The California Supreme Court said Manhattan Beach can ban retailers from using plastic bags without going through a lengthy environmental study on the increased use of paper bags.  The ban will likely begin enforcing its plastic bag ban on January 1, according to the city’s website. Under its ordinance, all retail establishments and restaurants are prohibited from distributing plastic bags except produce bags and dry-cleaning bags. Stores must provide customers with 40-percent recycled-content paper bags.

Malibu, California

• Malibu City Council voted to banish single use plastic bags and plastic-like compostable bags at all retail stores in May 2008. Beginning in 2009, all grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies and city facilities were forced to comply or face a fine of up to $1,000.

Los Angeles County, California

• Los Angeles enacted a ban on single use plastic bags on November 16, 2010 and officially went into effect July 1^st , 2011.  The ban will only affect unincorporated LA County areas and will reach over 1,000 stores by 2012.  Additionally, the ban changes a 10-cent surcharge for customers that wish to use paper bags.

Long Beach, California

• The first phase of a plastic-bag ban in Long Beach will go into effect Aug. 1, 2011. The Long Beach City Council voted to ban plastic bags and enact a 10-cent-a-bag charge for recyclable paper bags in May 2011.  The first phase applies to large retailers.  The second phase, which extends the ordinance to smaller stores — such as neighborhood markets, pharmacies, sandwich and coffee shops and liquor stores -– will go into effect Jan. 1, 2012

Calabasas, California

• On February 9, 2011, the Calabasas City Council passed Ordinance No. 2011-282 to ban the use single-use carryout plastic bags that pollute our environment and constitute a high percentage of litter across the country.  As of July 1, 2011, shoppers no longer receive disposable plastic bags while shopping at Calabasas supermarkets: Albertsons, Gelson’s, Maddy’s Market, and Ralphs and Rite Aid.  Effective January 1, 2012 drug stores, convenience food stores, smaller retail stores and grocers will stop offering disposable plastic bags.

Santa Monica, California

• Santa Monica’s plastic bag ban will go into effect on September 1, 2011. All 1,875 retail establishments are prohibited from providing light-weight, single-use plastic carryout bags to customers at the point of sale. This includes any plastic bag less than 2.25 mil thick, including bio-based plastic bags made from plant sources such as corn.

San Jose, California

• San Jose passed an ordinance that goes into effect on January 1, 2012. It bans most-retailers using single-use plastic bags and mandates charging for paper bags. Provided paper bags have at least 40% recycled content, customers will have to be charged 10¢ initially and 25¢ starting in 2013. Food stamp and other welfare recipients will get paper bags for free. The fine for violating the ban ranges from $500-1000.  Exceptions to the ban have been made for restaurants on the grounds that “food may become wet or messy;” secondhand stores would also be allowed to distribute single-use plastic bags as they promote the “reuse and recycling of donated goods and material.”

Santa Clara County, California

• In April, 2011 Santa Clara County approved a ban on plastic bags and most single use paper bags in the county’s unincorporated areas.  The ban which doesn’t go into effect until January, 2012 will affect about 56 retailers but will exclude restaurants and nonprofit and social organizations.  Retailers can sell customers single-use paper bags that are 100 percent recyclable and contain a minimum of 40 percent post-consumer waste at a cost of 15 cents each.

North Carolina

• On Sept. 1, 2009, North Carolina put into effect its Plastic Bag Management Law.  The law applies only in a county which includes a barrier island or barrier peninsula, in which the barrier island or peninsula meets both of the following conditions:
• It has permanent inhabitation of 200 or more residents and is separated from the North Carolina mainland by a sound
• It contains either a National Wildlife Refuge or a portion of a National Seashore
• (b) Within any county covered by subsection (a) of this section, this Part applies only to an island or peninsula that both:
• Is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean
• Is bounded on the west by a coastal sound

Washington, DC

• In January 2010, Washington, DC began taxing a 5-cent fee per plastic bag for supermarket customers.

Portland, Oregon

• Starting October 15, 2011, plastic grocery bags will be banned from major grocers.  The ban targets supermarkets with $2 million or more in gross annual sales plus stores with pharmacies and at least 10,000 square feet of space, such as Target and Walmart.  Portland’s ban won’t impose a mandatory fee on paper checkout bags, though retailers have that option.

Edmonds, Washington

• On July 28, 2009, the City Council of Edmonds, Washington, passed a law banning single use plastic bags by retailers.  The operative date of the ordinance was August 27, 2010

Marshall County, Iowa

• As of April 9, 2009, plastic bags are banned in supermarkets in Marshall County, Iowa.

Telluride, Colorado

• Telluride, Colorado, eliminated disposable plastic bags on March 1^st 2011.  The Town Council approved the ordinance on October 5th, 2010. The town-wide prohibition declares that, “disposable plastic bags shall not be sold or distributed, retail or wholesale, within town limits by any business.”

Westport, Connecticut

• Plastic bags are banned in grocery stores in Westport, CT.  Shop owners may be fined if they do not comply with the plastic bag ban.

Brownsville, Texas

• Brownsville Texas’ plastic bag ban and $1 fee on non-reusable bags went into effect on January 5, 2011.  Under Brownville’s ordinance, only the following types of bags “specifically designed and manufactured for multiple uses” will be available at checkout for free:
• Bags made of cloth or other washable fabric
• Paper bags (with handles)
• Plastic bags as long as they are 4.0 mil thick
• All other plastic bags and less durable paper will incur a $1 environmental fee per transaction

Maui, Hawaii

• Under the new laws, which include the islands of Lāna’i and Moloka’i (and technically Ni’ihau), vendors are allowed to give away or sell paper bags with high recycled content as well as reusable bags. There are some minimal exceptions that allow plastic bags for selling meat and other limited uses.

Kaua’i Hawaii

• Late in 2009, the Council of the County of Kaua’i declared that to preserve the health, safety, welfare and scenic beauty of Kaua’i, the distribution of plastic bags should be regulated and prohibited. The Kaua’i County Council voted to enact a plastic bag ban ordinance. As of January 11, 2011, plastic bags have been banned in Maui and Kaua’i for customers of merchants. Biodegradable plastic bags are permitted.

Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada

• On September 15^th 2010, The City of Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada, became the first Municipality in Ontario to ban plastic bags.
• The By‐Law defines plastic bags as, “a bag made of plastic film, including biodegradable or compostable bags, provided by a Retail Business to a customer at the till or point of sale to carry customer purchases from the Retail Business.”
• Equally important in the definition of plastic bag is the description of what does not constitute a plastic bag, including, bags used for bulk purchases (e.g. for produce, small hardware supplies), meat, frozen foods, prepared foods, newspapers, laundry dry cleaning, minnows, and bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended for such uses as garbage, recycling, pet and yard waste.

Wood Buffalo, Alberta, Canada

• The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has banned the distribution of single-use shopping bags effective Sept. 1, 2010.  Known as “The Single-Use Shopping Bag Bylaw,” the Council of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, in the Province of Alberta, passed and signed the Bylaw on Dec. 17, 2009.  The Single-Use Shopping Bag Bylaw eliminates the distribution of both plastic and paper single-use shopping bags.

Manitoba, Canada

• The new bylaw prevents retailers from selling or distributing the single-use bags. Ignoring the ban could result in a $1,000-a-day fine. In anticipation, officials have been handing out cloth shopping bags to residents.

Thompson, Canada

• The City of Thompson has passed By-Law Number 1839-2010 known as the Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban. The By-Law took effect on December 31, 2010.  The By-Law prohibits the sale or give-away of plastic bags. The By-Law states specifically: “No person shall sell or provide single-use plastic bags free of charge or allow single-use plastic bags to be sold or provided free of charge.” This includes biodegradable bags that are below 2.25 mil thick.

Mexico City

• As of August 2010, shops in the Mexican capital have to charge for the bags, which must also be biodegradable. Shop owners not complying can be given a 36-hour jail term and fines up to $90,000.

South America

Bolivia

• On December 2, 2009 the city of La Paz, Bolivia passed a municipal ordinance banning the use of plastic bags in all stores of all categories.  The ban orders the use of all plastic bags to be substituted by the use of cloth or recyclable bags.

Buenos Aires

• The government of Buenos Aires province (a territory separate from Buenos Aires city but accounting for about 37% of the country population) approved a ban in 2008 which prohibits shops and supermarkets to give polyethylene plastic bags in its territory.  In 2010, all bags were required to be  replaced by biodegradable materials, such as paper or special plastics that decompose.

Brazil

• The São Paulo state government in Brazil plans to ban the use of plastic bags in supermarkets by the end of this year. Under an agreement signed earlier this month by the state government and the Paulista Association of Supermarkets (APAS), supermarkets will stop distributing traditional plastic bags and instead sell bags that are biodegradable.

Tagged as: Legislation, Plastic