The URL can be used to link to this page

SR-022608-8BCity of City v®~~ 1~/I~ ! \Gp®, 6 Santa Monica ~~brtia,ry ZIPS 2~Y~g City Council Meeting:-Febraa~ry-1~J, X998 Agenda Item: ~ To: Mayor and City Council From: Craig Perkins, Director -Environmental and Public Works Management Subject: Recommendations Regarding a Ban on Plastic Bags for Commercial Establishments in Santa Monica Recommended Action Staff recommends that City Council: 1) direct the City Attorney to draft an ordinance banning the free distribution to customers of single use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica; and 2) provide staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single use paper bags in addition to the ban on plastic bags. Executive Summary This report presents the results of a staff analysis, requested by City Council on October 9, 2007, to generate recommendations to develop an effective ban on single use plastic carryout bags in Santa Monica. The analysis determined that plastic bags are responsible for significant negative environmental impacts and that preferable alternatives are readily available and currently in use. Because California Assembly Bill 2449, which went into effect on July 1, 2007, specifically prohibits local governments from imposing a fee on plastic carryout bags, it was determined that the most effective way to reduce the environmental impacts related to plastic bags (including biodegradable plastic) is to ban their use in Santa Monica and promote the use of reusable carryout bags. Single use paper carryout bags should be allowed as an alternative to plastic bags, but should be required to meet certain requirements to minimize the environmental impacts related to their manufacture and transportation. It is recommended that the ordinance provide at least six months prior to taking effect following Council adoption to allow stores to transition. Staff seeks direction from Council on a proposal from the Task Force on the Environment that would require stores to impose a fee on single use paper bags in addition to the ban on plastic bags. The intent of this proposal would be to accelerate a shift away from single use bags towards reusable bags. Budgetary impacts from the adoption of a ban would include costs to prepare and distribute outreach materials for use by stores affected by the ordinance, and staffing costs for implementation and enforcement. 1 Background On July 16, 2007, the City's Task Force on the Environment unanimously approved a motion requesting that City Council consider banning plastic bags, citing concerns that plastic bags create significant litter problems; that they pollute the beach and marine environments; because they are expensive and difficult to recycle; and because they contaminate other recyclable and compostable material that is collected by the City. On October 9, 2007, City Council directed staff to perform an analysis and generate recommendations to develop an effective ban on plastic bags for commercial establishments in Santa Monica. This report transmits the results of that analysis and recommended actions. Environmental Issues Associated with Plastic Bags Plastic carryout bags were first introduced by retail stores in the United States in 1975 and began to be distributed to customers at the point of sale in supermarkets in 1977. Today these bags are ubiquitous in the marketplace because they are light-weight, strong, inexpensive and convenient. Plastic carryout bags are made in a number of different sizes and thicknesses and are typically manufactured from either high density polyethylene (HDPE -recycling symbol #2) or from low density polyethylene (LDPE -recycling symbol #4). The LDPE bags are thicker and are generally used by department stores and other commercial retail outlets. The HDPE bags are typically thinner, cheaper and are used much more widely by supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores and restaurants. These bags are termed "single-use" bags because they are intended for one time use for customers to carry their purchases from the store, followed by disposal or recycling. The thin, light duty plastic that the bags are made from is not durable enough for them to be repeatedly used for carryout. The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) estimates that Californians use approximately 19 billion of the light weight 2 HDPE bags each year, with approximately 6 billion of these being consumed within Los Angeles County. A survey conducted by City Solid Waste Management division staff in December 2005 solicited plastic bag information from 25 Santa Monica grocery stores and food markets. The survey concluded that these 25 businesses use approximately 23 million plastic bags each year. Plastic bags are a significant component of litter in the environment primarily due to their durability and light weight. Even when disposed of properly, plastic bags are often blown out of trash receptacles and are easily carried by wind and water to become entangled in vegetation, clog stormdrains and contribute to free floating plastic debris in the marine environment. A waste characterization study conducted by the City of Los Angeles in June 2004 found that plastic bags made up 25% by weight (and 19% by volume) of litter found in 30 storm drain catch basins2. Recently the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB) established a Zero Trash TMDL (total maximum daily load) for the Ballona Creek Watershed. This TMDL requires a 10% annual reduction of trash entering the water body until zero trash is reached by 2014. Santa Monica, as one of the agencies within the Ballona Creek watershed, can be held jointly liable for failing to meet these targets and will likely have to spend increasing amounts of money to comply with these requirements in the coming years. Plastic bags are a significant source of marine debris and are hazardous to birds and marine animals. The. California Coastal Commission estimates that 60% to 80% of all marine debris, and 90% of all floating debris is plastic. Plastic bags do not biodegrade in the environment, but they do break into smaller pieces that are often mistaken for food by birds and marine animals3. Studies have estimated that more than 1 million sea California Integrated Waste Management Board, Resolution, Agenda Item 14, June 12, 2007 Board Meeting z "An Overview of Carryout Bags in Los Angeles County", staff report to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, August 2007 s C. Moore, "Pelagic Plastics", Algalita Marine Research Foundation,www.algalita.org/pelagic olastic.html 3 birds, 100,000 marine mammals and countless fish die annually through ingestion of and entanglement in marine debris, including plastic bags4. Plastic bags are recyclable, however very few are actually recycled. Research conducted by the County of Los Angeles in 2007 found that this is largely due to the logistics of sorting, high contamination rates that reduce the quality of the recycled resin produced, the low quality of plastic used in the bags, and the lack of cost efficiency due to lack of suitable markets for the recycled resin. Various estimates suggest that only 1% to 5% of the 19 billion bags used annually in California are being recycled in any ways. A recent survey by the County of Los Angeles found that only 25 of the 89 jurisdictions within the County offer residential curbside collection for plastic bag recycling. The City of Santa Monica does provide curbside collection of plastic bags, but does not encourage it because the bags are often contaminated by the time they reach the City's transfer station, and because the bags create litter and handling issues at the transfer station. A Los Angeles County survey of recycling and material recovery facilities found that over 90% of the plastic carryout bags taken to these facilities were not recycled but instead taken to landfills for disposal. Reasons cited include high contamination rates, the tendency of the bags to jam the screens used to separate materials, and the lack of suitable markets for the recycled material. Plastic Bag Costs and Alternatives The primary alternatives to HDPE plastic carryout bags are single use paper carryout bags, biodegradable (starch-based) plastic carryout bags, and reusable carryout bags made from cloth or durable plastic. All of these options are widely available in the marketplace and are currently being used throughout the region and the state at grocery stores, restaurants and other retail stores. The approximate costs of plastic bags and ° N. Wallace. "Debris Entanglement in the Marine Environment: A Review" pp 259-277 in Proceedings of the Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAH Technical Memorandum, 1985 s Californians Against Waste http://www.cawrecycles.org/issues/plastic campaign/plastic bans :and US EPA 2005 Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste, Table 7 4 various alternatives (based on current prices obtained from a variety of bag suppliers in December 2007) are listed below in Table 1 Table 1 Type of carryout bag Approximate cost per bag Approximate annual usage per person HDPE plastic 1 to 5 cents 500 - 600 Paper 5 to 25 cents 500 - 600 Biodegradable. 10 to 21 cents 500 - 600 Reuseable (cloth or plastic) 99 cents to $10 2 - 4 Environmental Issues Associated with Alternatives to Plastic Bags The primary environmental impacts of carryout bags fall in to two areas: 1) the impacts related to the manufacture, transportation and consumption of the bags, and 2) the end of use impacts related to the disposal of the bags, recycling and recyclability, and litter. A study published by the Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage in 20026 evaluated the life cycle environmental impacts of plastic carryout bags and alternatives. The study found that reusable bags made of polypropylene have the least overall environmental impact, largely due to the small number of bags consumed per year. The study found that single use plastic bags have a lower embodied energy content than both biodegradable bags and paper bags, due to their light weight which facilitates transportation, and lower material use in manufacture. However the end of use impacts related to plastic bags are significant, as described in detail above. The end of use impacts of paper bags are much lower than for plastic bags because 1) paper bags are less likely to be littered due to heavier weight, 2) they are readily recyclable and universally collected in curbside recycling programs, and 3) they will biodegrade in s Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage Plastic Shopping Bags -Analysis of Levies and Environmental Impacts Final Report, prepared by Nolan-ITU, December 2002 5 the marine environment, minimizing negative environmental impacts. The end of use impacts for biodegradable plastic bags is mixed. These bags can be composted, along with green waste, at the commercial composting facility used by the City of Santa Monica; however, they do have the potential to contaminate plastic recycling programs because they are easily mistaken for plastic bags unless clearly identified as biodegradable. And like plastic bags, they are designed for single use and have similar characteristics that contribute to their likelihood to become littered and end up in the marine environment. While they may partially biodegrade in the marine environment over the course of several months, they still have the potential to negatively impact marine life. On balance, the Australian study found that the greatest environmental benefits when evaluating manufacture, transportation, use and disposal of carryout bags are achieved when replacing single use disposable bags with reusable bags. Of the single use bags, paper bags have a much lower impact on the marine environment than plastic or biodegradable bags; however, they require more resources to manufacture and transport. Paper bags containing high levels of post-consumer recycled content would lessen the resource load of these bags. Regulation of Plastic Bags in other Jurisdictions Internationally there have been many bans or other regulation on single-use plastic carryout bags, primarily in response to litter and marine pollution issues. The countries of Taiwan, Kenya, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Germany and Sweden, as well as thirty towns in Alaska, have all banned the use of plastic carryout bags in recent years. In January 2008 the Chinese government announced a nationwide ban on the free distribution of single-use plastic carryout bags which will take effect on June 1, 2008. Ireland, Denmark and Switzerland have all instituted a "tax' on plastic carryout bags to encourage the use of alternatives. The program in Ireland, which imposed a fee of 20 cents (Euro) on each plastic carryout bag consumed, resulted in a 95% reduction in the 6 use of the plastic bags since the fee was imposed in March 2002'. Follow up studies of this policy in Ireland indicate that it has .been very effective at changing consumer behavior and the use of reusable bags by consumers in Ireland is now commonplace. In 2002, the Australian federal government began a voluntary initiative to reduce the consumption of HDPE plastic carryout bags by 50% and plastic bag litter by 75% by December 2005. Follow-up studies found that the voluntary efforts resulted in significant reductions in plastic bag consumption (up to 45%) but that they did not appear to have had a noticeable impact on litter with the levels remaining approximately the same8. A report by Australian retailers indicated that plastic bag recycling rates increased to 14%, but noted that the retailers spent $50 million on public education efforts over two years and that "the majority of consumers have yet to alter their behavior." 9 In January 2008 the Australian federal government announced that it plans to completely phase out the use of plastic carryout bags by the end of 2008, in part because the voluntary program has not achieved the desired results. Within California, the cities of San Francisco and Oakland have recently banned the distribution of non-biodegradable plastic carryout bags in response to negative environmental impacts, litter problems and recycling issues related to plastic bags. San Francisco adopted its ordinance on March 22, 2007, banning the distribution of non- biodegradable plastic carryout bags. This followed the failure by supermarkets in the City to meet agreed upon targets for reducing plastic bag consumption by consumers under a voluntary program. The San Francisco ordinance requires all supermarkets (with gross annual sales of more than $2 million) and all retail pharmacy chains with at least 5 stores under the same ownership within the City to provide their customers with one or more of the following: 1) biodegradable carryout bags (that include the words "green cart compostable" and "reusable" and display a solid green line encircling the http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/PlasticBags/News/MainBodv.3199.en.htm, May 2007 e "Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement: Investigation of Options to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Plastic Bags", Environment Protection and Heritage Council, January 2007 e http://www.ephc.aov.au/pdf/Plastic Bags/ANRA Report to EPHC Chair 22 Mav 2006.pdf 7 bag; 2) paper carryout bags (that do not contain old growth fiber, are 100% recyclable and contain at least 40% post consumer recycled content); 3) reusable bags made from cloth or from durable plastic greater than 2.25 mils thick. The ordinance went into effect on November 20, 2007. The City of Oakland adopted a similar ban on July 17, 2007, which was scheduled to take effect on January 17, 2008. Oakland's ordinance applies to all stores generating $1 million or more in annual sales with the exception of restaurants. In August 2007, the City of Oakland was sued by the Coalition to Support Plastic Bag Recycling which argued that the City failed to complete an environmental impact report as required by CEQA before adopting its ordinance. In response to the lawsuit, the City of Oakland has agreed not to enforce its ordinance until the suit is resolved. A hearing is scheduled for January 29, 2008. Within Southern California, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors voted on January 22, 2008 to ban the free distribution of single use plastic carry out bags in unincorporated areas of the County if voluntary programs by retailers in those areas to reduce plastic bag use do not result in decreases of at least 30% by July 2010 and 65% by July 2013. Assembly Bill 2449 On September 30, 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law AB 2449 which regulates plastic carryout bags statewide. The new law went into effect on July 1, 2007, and requires the operators of supermarkets and retail businesses greater than 10,000 square feet with a licensed pharmacy to establish an in-store recycling program that provides an opportunity for a customer of the store to return clean plastic carryout bags to that store. The law requires a plastic carryout bag provided by a store to have specified information printed or displayed on the bag, and requires the placement of a plastic carryout bag collection bin in each store greater than 10,000 square feet that is visible and easily accessible to the consumer. The regulated stores must send these collected bags for recycling. The law also requires the operator of a store to make reusable bags made from cloth, fabric or plastic with a thickness of 2.25 mils or greater 8 available to customers for purchase. The law requires manufacturers of plastic carryout bags to develop educational materials to encourage the reducing, reusing, and recycling of the bags and to make the materials available to stores. The law did not establish at- store recycling or consumption goals; however, in June, 2007, the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) adopted emergency regulations establishing reporting requirements to aid in evaluating the effectiveness of the lawt0. AB 2449 specifically prohibits a city, county, or other public agency from adopting, implementing, or enforcing an ordinance, resolution, regulation, or rule that requires a store to collect, transport, or recycle plastic carryout bags or conduct additional auditing or reporting, or imposing a plastic carryout bag fee upon a store. The law does not prohibit a public agency from banning plastic bags outright. The law will remain in effect through January 1, 2013, when it is scheduled to sunset. Discussion Based on the research reviewed and summarized above, single use plastic carryout bags generate significant negative environmental impacts because: ^ they are consumed in extremely high volumes ^ they are produced from non-renewable resources ^ they are designed to be disposable (rather than reusable) • they are difficult to recycle they are a significant and very visible component of litter they do not biodegrade in the environment ^ they represent a significant hazard to marine animals and birds Single use alternatives to plastic carryout bags include paper bags and biodegradable plastic bags. Of these, paper bags are the best alternative from a marine environment and litter perspective. They are made from renewable resources, are readily recyclable, are widely available and are currently used in most retail stores throughout Santa 10 California Integrated Waste Management Board, Resolution, Agenda Item 14, June 12, 2007 Board Meeting 9 Monica and the region. However, they are more expensive than plastic bags and require more resources to manufacture and transport than plastic bags. Biodegradable bags present many of the same environmental litter and marine environment problems as plastic bags, and they can contaminate plastic recycling waste streams. While they are compostable and are made from renewable resources, they are relatively expensive and are somewhat resource intensive in their manufacture. From an overall environmental and economic perspective, the best alternative to single use plastic carryout bags is a major shift to reusable bags. As noted above, government agencies worldwide have taken numerous actions to address the significant problems with plastic bags in recent years. These actions fall into three main categories: 1. Voluntary programs (on the part of retailers) to reduce bag use and increase recycling of bags 2. Plastic bag fees or "taxes" 3. Plastic bag bans Of these actions, voluntary programs are demonstrably the least effective at reducing the use of plastic bags. A voluntary program in San Francisco in 2006 was not effective in reaching City-mandated reduction targets, and led the City to adopt a ban in March 2007. A nationwide voluntary program in Australia begun in 2002 resulted in moderately increased recycling rates of plastic bags but had no effect on reducing litter and had little positive influence on consumer behavior despite an expenditure of over $50 million for public outreach on the program. Both voluntary and mandatory plastic bag fees and taxes have proven to be very effective at significantly reducing the amount of plastic bags consumed, provided that the fees are high enough to provide an incentive for consumers to alter their behavior. A voluntary fee program implemented by a supermarket in Byron Bay, Australia 10 beginning in 2002 resulted in an 83% reduction in plastic bag use~~. A voluntary bag fee program begun by the retail company IKEA in Australia in 2002 and in England in 2006 resulted in 95% to 97% reduction in plastic bag consumption12. IKEA began a similar program at its stores in the United States in March 2007. None of these voluntary initiatives resulted in decreases in sales at the stores where they were implemented. And as noted above, the mandatory plastic bag fee initiated in Ireland in March 2002 resulted in a 95% reduction in plastic bag consumption. Based on the negative environmental impacts related to single use plastic bags, staff recommends that City Council direct the City Attorney to draft an ordinance banning the free distribution to customers of single use plastic carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica. The ordinance would only apply to bags distributed at the point of sale and would not apply to plastic bags used for produce and other bulk items in stores. Staff recommends that single use biodegradable plastic bags be included in this ban because they present many of the same environmental litter and marine environment problems as plastic bags, and they can contaminate plastic recycling waste streams. The ordinance should specify that single use paper carryout bags are acceptable alternatives provided they do not contain old growth fiber, are 100% recyclable, and contain a minimum of 40% post consumer recycled content. In order to minimize the use of single use bags, the ordinance should require all affected stores to provide reusable carryout bags for sale and, with assistance from the City, promote their sale and use. The ordinance should provide at least 6 months prior to taking effect following Council adoption to allow stores to transition. Staff also requests that City Council provide direction on a recommendation unanimously adopted by the Task Force on the Environment on December 17, 2007. The Task Force recommends that in addition to banning single use plastic carryout bags, the ordinance should require stores to impose a fee on single use paper bags, "Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage Plastic Shopping Bags -Analysis of Levies and Environmental Impacts Final Report, prepared by Nolan-ITU, December 2002 'Z http://www.treehuaoer.com/files/2007/02/ikea us to baq.php 11 which would be collected and retained by the store. The intent of the fee would be to discourage the use of single use bags and accelerate a switch by consumers to reusable bags. Staff believes that such a fee would be allowed under the terms of AB 2449 and, if it was set at a sufficient level, would likely be effective at influencing a significant shift in consumer behavior away from single use bags in favor of reusable bags. Staff has not investigated the volume of plastic bags distributed by various sizes and types of stores; however, bans in San Francisco and Oakland address only large grocery stores and pharmacies. Based on personal conversations with staff in the cities of Oakland and San Francisco, these types of stores appear to be the highest volume distributors of single use plastic carryout bags by a large margin. If Council approves this recommendation, staff will conduct additional research into the volume of plastic bags distributed by various outlets and use that information to determine the scope of the draft ordinance for Council review and approval. Policy Alternatives Alternatives to the recommended actions include 1) impose a ban on single use plastic carryout bags only if certain plastic bag recycling targets are not reached by stores in Santa Monica by a certain date; and 2) take no action. Based on review of plastic bag diversion and recycling programs implemented by the stores distributing the bags, these types of programs are not effective at significantly increasing recycling rates or reducing litter, even with large, well funded campaigns. It is not likely that this option would be successful in significantly reducing the environmental impacts of single use disposable plastic bags. Option 2 would require the City to rely on the existing AB2449 legislation, which doesn't include any targets for diversion or recycling of single use disposable plastic bags. Approving this option would likely have little to no impact on reducing environmental impacts of plastic bags in Santa Monica. 12 Financial Impacts & Budget Actions The primary budgetary impacts from adoption of the recommended ordinance would include costs to prepare and distribute outreach materials for use by stores affected by the ordinance, and staffing costs for implementation and enforcement. If Council directs staff to prepare an ordinance, a final fiscal impact analysis and recommendations related to supplies and materials as well as staff costs will be presented to Council for review and action at the meeting for the first reading of a proposed ordinance. This will include additional detail regarding the costs and staffing impact of enacting ban on single use disposable plastic carryout bags. All efforts would be made to combine enforcement activities with existing on-site inspections currently conducted by City staff. Prepared by: Dean Kubani, Environmental Programs Manager Approved: Craig Per.' s Director- Environmental and Public Works Management Department 13 Forwarded to Council: ~ ~ ~~ 1444 9th Street ph 310 451 1550 info@healthebay.org Santa Monica CA 90401 fax 310 496 1902 www.healthebay.org Heal the Say February 12, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Re: Staff Recommendations Regarding a Ban on Plastic Bags for Commercial Establishments in Santa Monica Dear Santa Monica City Council: FEB 1 9 2008 On behalf of Heal the Bay and our over 12,000 members, we urge you to continue your ongoing environmental leadership by following staff s recommended action to direct the Ciry Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica, and provide staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single use paper bags. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Unfortunately, t these bags are seldom recycled. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single- use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter. In fact, data from the 2006 International Coastal Clean-up Day show that over 120,000 discarded bags were collected in California, making bags one of the most abundant types of litter found in the State. Plastic marine debris is an increasing concern for California and indeed the entire globe. It is estimated that 80% of marine debris comes from land-based sources -Despite past efforts to control marine debris, the quantity of trash in the coastal and ocean environment is increasing dramatically world-wide. The majority of marine debris is comprised of plastic materials. It is estimated that 60-80% of all marine debris, and 90% of floating debris is plastic.3 Plastic is so durable that it can take hundreds of years for it to break down at sea, and some kinds never truly biodegrade at sea.4 The world's largest ocean garbage dump in the North Pacific is currently estimated to be 5 million square miles, larger than the entire United States, where densities of ' US EPA 2005 Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste, Table 4. z U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Public and Constituent Affairs, (1999) "Turning to the Sea: America's Ocean Future;" United Nations Environment Programme (1995) "Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities." Note by the secretariat. UNEP (OCA) /LBA/IG. 3 California Coasta] Commission, (2006) "Eliminating Land-based Discharges of Marine Debris in California: A Plan of Action from The Plastic Debris Project" California Coastal Commission, (2006) "Eliminating Land-based Discharges of Marine Debris in California: A ~~ ~ ~~ Plan of Action from The Plastic Debris Project" i FEB 1 9 2008 1444 9th Sireet ph 310 451 1550 info@healihebay.org Santa Monica CA 90401 fax 310 496 1902 www.healthebay.org Heal the Bay production consumes significant energy, and the impact of paper bag production on forests is enormous.8 Logging and manufacturing of bags produces greenhouse gases. Paper production also involves the use of toxic chemicals that contributes to both air pollution, such as acid rain, and water pollution.9 The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for centuries to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica an international leader on this issue and adopt the recommendation to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, Mark Gold, D. Env. President Kirsten James, MESM Water Quality Director $1989 Plastic Recycling Directory, Society of Plastics Industry; www.reusablebags.com 9 "Comparison of the Effects on the Environment afPolyethylene and Paper Carrier Bags,"Federal Offtce offhe Environment, August 1988. ADD 7~ 6'-C ,° e ~ ~ ~~ rE4; ~ ~UC$ 0°~ v V: k~ ; ~~`" G ALIFORNIA G RO_CERS ASSOCIATION www.cagrocers.com February 19, 2008 The Honorable Herb Katz Mayor City of Santa Monica 1685 Matn Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 RE: Agenda Item # 8-C: Ban on Plastic Bags for Commercial Establishments in Sauta Monica a. Chairman of the Boartl Wcnard E. Morgan, Jr. NoOday/SaxMOr FOVtls Conunwoctl Fnal vice ena;r Revln Herglo¢ sareay m~ Plaamm~ Secontl Vice Chao Bah Ling unlnee cmcers ~omae~re Treasurer George Frenm saner eras. Marnea Cellen Secretary Jim Amen Super AfCOEr, Inc aryal Cammeae Pa:<cnao- William W. Antlerson galey'z Wmaarnmento Dear Mayor Katz: On behalf of the California Grocers Associaton (CGA) thank you for the opportunity to provide input on agenda item # 8-C, `Ban on Plastic Bags far Commercial Establishments in Santa Monica." The California Grocers Association is anon-profit, statewide trade association representing the food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 500 retail members operating over 600 stores in California and Nevada, and approximately 300 grocery supplier companies. The members of CGA continue to make the issue of environmental stewazdship one of their top priorities. As such, CGA continues to support efforts to promote recycling, reduction of bag use and the use of reusable bags. CGA believes bans on plastic bags or mandates for certain retailers do not solve the larger issues. While product bans aze often viewed as the solution to reducing litter and waste, bans do nothing to educate consumers on the need for a change in behavior. As of July 1, 2007, retailers and their customers partnered on compliance with the recycling opportunities created by the passage of Assembly Bill 2449 (Levine, D-Van Nuys; Statutes of 2006). Assembly Bi112449, also known as The "Statewide Plastic Bag Recycling Act", requires certain grocery and other retailers to implement at-store recycling programs for plastic carryout bags and also requires retailers to submit data to the California Integrated Waste Management Boazd detailing the recycling efforts of their customers. Additionally, stores now provide reusable bags for consumer purchase. The current at-store recycling program is a partnership between neighborhood retailers and their customers who have the opportunity to return clean, dry and empty plastic carryout bags for recycling.. Should aper-bag fee be implemented such action would severely diminish industry's current efforts to promote the return and recycling of plastic bags. 1471 L Streeq Suite 450 Badamento, CA 95814 Teb 976/448.3545 Fax: 976/448.2793 1020 NoM Lake SVee4 Burbank, CA 91502 A~® • V i=~~. ~ ~ cca From: Kirsten James [kjames@HealTheBay.org] Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 5:46 PM To: Clerk Mailbox Cc: Meredith McCarthy; Karin Hall Subject: Comment Letter -Item 8C -Plastic Bags Attachments: Htbplasticban_segal.doc Please see the attached comment letter for item 8C (plastic bags) on February 19, 2008. Kirsten James Water Quality Director Heal the Bay 310.451.1500, ext. 162 2/19/2008 "" rES a ~ ;:c1is MICHAEL SEGAL FRED SEGAL SANTA MONICA 500 BROADWAY SANTA MONICA, CA 90401 310-394-8989 February 14, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax: 310-458-1621 RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: I encourage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica. I am concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. And we will do our part by eliminating the use of plastic carryout bags at our store as soon as we use our present supply - we will order no additional plastic bags. An estimated b billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used. each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $500,000 each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already f~u ! ~ L~0~3 ~~ ~ ~ ~cea From: Andrew Casana [andrew@englanderpr.com] Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 7:12 PM Ta. Clerk Mailbox Subject: Plastic Bag Ban Dear Councilmember's, I am writing you on behalf of my client the California Restaurant Association in regards to agenda item 8-C the ban on plastic bags and other compostable plastic and proposed fee to be placed on paper bags. We understand that the City of Santa Monica is trying to encourage business not to use single use bags and encourage their customers to bring their own bags. This is an idea that is difficult to implement in the quick service industry. Tourists that visit Santa Monica would be forced to buy a bag to take into a McDonald's so that they could have something to carry their food in when leaving. The singe use bags that are used by restaurants and quick service establishments are used as portable trashcans that contain the used cups, straws, utensils, napkins, wrappers and left over. food and then hopefully disposed in a trashcan. We feel that this helps keep all of the trash that could end up on the beach or in the waterways together in a trashcan. Another. problem with reusable bags is that the used wrappers, lids and utensils could now easily find their way into a storm drain or onto a beach. I am pretty sure that the person that is forced to buy a reusable bag will not take the used wrappers home with them and that is alot of loose trash that could end up as litter. We respectfully ask that staff meet with the local restaurants to discuss how this would effect them and that you do not include the restaurant and fast-food industry in the plastic ban ordinance. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Andrew P. Casana Partner Englander and Associates 310-741-1500 Office 310-800-4734 Cel. 1 ~~ ~ ~ G 2/19/2008 : ~~~ ] ~ ~CC8 From: Santa Monica City Manager's Office Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 9:18 AM To: Maria Dacanay Subject: FW: plastic bag ban From: Andrew Casana [mailto:andrew@englanderpr.com] Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 7:26 PM To: Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: plastic bag ban Hello, I am writing you on behalf of my client the California Restaurant Association in regards to agenda item 8-C the ban on plastic bags and other compostable plastic and proposed fee to be placed on paper bags. We understand that the City of Santa Monica is trying to encourage business not to use single use bags and encourage their customers to bring their own bags. This is an idea that is difficult to implement in the quick service industry. Tourists that visit Santa Monica would be forced to buy a bag to take into a McDonald's so that they could have something to carry their food in when leaving. The singe use bags that are used by restaurants and quick service establishments are used as portable trashcans that contain the used cups, straws, utensils, napkins, wrappers and left over food and then hopefully disposed in a trashcan. We feel that this helps keep all of the trash that could end up on the beach or in the waterways together in a trashcan. Another problem with reusable bags is that the used wrappers, lids and utensils could now easily find their way into a storm drain or onto a beach. I am pretty sure that the person that is forced to buy a reusable bag will not take the used wrappers home with them and that is alot of loose trash that could end up as litter. We respectfully ask that staff meet with the local restaurants to discuss how this would effect them and that you do not include the restaurant and fast-food industry in the plastic ban ordinance. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Andrew P. Casana Partner Englander and Associates 310-741-1500 Office 310-800-4734 Cel. 2/19/2008 _ -v, ~ ~CGB From: Dean Kubani Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 9:58 AM To: Maria Dacanay Cc: Craig Perkins Subject: FW: CAW letter to SM City Council Attachments: CAW Letter to Santa Monica 021508.doc From: Bryan Early [mailto:bryanearly@cawrecycles.org] Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 4:49 PM To: Craig Perkins; Dean Kubani Subject: CAW letter to SM City Council Here's our first letter. I won't be able to make it Tuesday but would like to be part of the process down the road. Cheers, Bryan Early Plastic Waste Reduction Campaign Coordinator Californians Against Waste 916-443-5422 office 916-443-3912 fax 916-708-0629 cell rrn ~ n 2/19/2008 _ ~~~ ®• ~ _. _ ~ -_ ~ ~~ February 19, 2008 Herb Katz, Mayor City of Santa Monica 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 VIA FAX: (310) 458-1621 RE: Re: Staff Recommendations Regarding a Ban on Plastic Bags -Support Dear Mayor Katz: E le.u ~ .. LGUi> Californians Against Waste (CAW) strongly supports the recommendations made by City of Santa Monica staff urging the ban of single use plastic bags and requiring a fee on single-use paper bags in commercial establishments. CAW believes that the unrestrained distribution of single-use bags damages California's coastal ecosystem and burdens the economies of local governments through rapidly increasing litter clean-up costs and lost tourist revenue. Californians consume around 20 billion bags per year, very few of which are currently recycled. Plastic bags and foamed polystyrene comprise a disproportionately high percentage of litter because, even when properly disposed, they are easily transported by wind and rain into watersheds. Once in the environment, plastic film is deadly to wildlife and can wreak havoc on public storm drain infrastructure. CAW was the sponsor of AB 2449 (Levine), which provides in-store recycling for plastic bags. In addition, CAW is sponsoring new legislation this year that will potentially incorporate a state fee on plastic bags and required bag reduction and recycling benchmarks. However, AB 2449 and its revision are not intended to supplant tougher local action beyond specified restrictions. CAW has continued to advocate for the toughest possible measures at the local level and has been supportive of plastic bag bans in San Francisco, Oakland and Fairfax and the plastic bag reduction and recycling benchmark program enacted in unincorporated Los Angeles County. Plastic marine pollution is a global problem with local solutions. California has one of the most robust consumer economies in the Pacific Rim and disproportionately contributes to the Pacific Ocean's alarmingly high levels of plastic pollution contamination. According to research carried out by the Algalita Research Foundation, in some of the most affected areas of the Pacific there is over 46 times more plastic than plankton by weight. For all intents and purposes, plastic never biodegrades; instead it slowly photo degrades. As it photodegrades plastic film breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, which form a progressively greater risk of food chain contamination as it attracts surrounding toxins. CAW applauds the City of Santa Monica for its pioneering stance on polystyrene and other critical litter and water quality issues and urges the speedy adoption of meaningful restrictions on plastic bag litter. Sincerely, Bryan Early Plastic Waste Reduction Campaign Coordinator c.c. Richard Bloom, Mayor Pro Tempore; Ken Genser, Councilmember; Robert Holbrook, Councilmember; Kevin McKeown, Councilmember; Pam O'Connor, Councilmember; Bobby Shriver, Councilmember; Craig,_ _ Perkins, City of Santa Monica; Dean Kubani, City of Santa Monica ~ ~.. ,, _ , 921 11'^ Street, Suite 420 • SACRAMENTO, CA 95814 • (916) 443-5422 FAX: j916) 443-3912 • www.cawr "~ rE~9 ~ 6 LCCS From: Jim Lamm [jirn.lamm@ballonacreek.org] Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 5:13 PM To: Herb Katz Fwd; Richard Bloom; Ken Genser; Robert Holbrook; Kevin McKeown Fwd; Pam OConnor; Bobby Shriver Cc: Clerk Mailbox Subject: Plastic Bag Ban: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Agenda Item 8-B ~ ~~ Re: Tuesday, February 26, 2048 Santa lylonica City Cauncil ,agenda )tem 8-B: Proposed ban on distribution of free plastic bags for commercial establishments (for the record) Dear Mayor Katz, Mayor Pro Tempore Bloom, and Gity Council Members, On behalf of Ballona Creek Renaissance {BCR), !fully support the staff recommendations as presented and urge your approval. However, due to a concurrent BCR meeting, we anticipate being unable to come to the council chambers to express our support in person Like your recently enacted non-recyclable food service container ban, the proposed plastic bag actions would provide both much-needed change and a model for a more sustainable future. in appreciation for all your watershed work, Jim Lamm, President Ballona Creek Renaissance {BCR}, a member of the Bay Watershed Council PO Box 1068, Culver City, CA 90232 Tel./fax (call first): 310-839-6896; Mobile: 310-367-0336 jim. lamm@ba!lonacreek, org Ballona Creek Renaissance, a Culver City-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Is dedicated to improving Ballona Creek and its watershed for both the environment and the community. Federal Tax ID No. 95-4764614 "Working Together to "Change the Channel" www.BallonaCreek._org ~-E5 2 6 LOGS 2/26/2008 ~ ~~ 1444 9th Street ph 310 451 1550 info@healthebay.org Santa Monica CA 90401 fax 310 496 1902 www.healthe6ay.org Nea! the Bay February 12, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Re: Staff Recommendations Regarding a Ban on Plastic Bags for Commercial Establishments in Santa Monica Dear Santa Monica City Council: FEB 19 2008 On behalf of Heal the Bay and our over 12,000 members, we urge you to continue your ongoing environmental leadership by following staff s recommended action to direct the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica, and provide staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single use paper bags. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Unfortunately, t these bags are seldom recycled. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single- use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter. In fact, data from the 2006 International Coastal Clean-up Day show that over 120,000 discarded bags were collected in California, making bags one of the most abundant types of litter found in the State. Plastic marine debris is an increasing concern for California and indeed the entire globe. It is estimated that 80% of marine debris comes from land-based sources:' Despite past efforts to control marine debris, the quantity of trash in the coastal and ocean environment is increasing dramatically world-wide. The majority of marine debris is comprised of plastic materials. It is estimated that 60-80% of all marine debris, and 90% of floating debris is plastic.3 Plastic is so durable that it can take hundreds of years for it to break down at sea, and some kinds never truly biodegrade at sea.4 The world's largest ocean garbage dump in the North Pacific is currently estimated to be 5 million square miles, larger than the entire United States, where densities of US EPA 200> Characterization of Municipal Solid W aste, Table 4. z U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Public and Constituent Affairs, (1999) "Turning to the Sea: America's Ocean Future;" United Nations Environment Programme (1995) "Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities." Note by the secretariat. UNEP (OCA) /LBA/IG. ~ California Coastal Commission, (2006) "Eliminating Land-based Discharges of Marine Debris in California: A Plan of Action from The Plastic Debris Project" ° California Coastal Commission, (2006) "Eliminating Land-based Discharges of Marine Debris in California: A ~~ ~ ~~ Plan of Action from The Plastic Debris Project" 1 FEB 1 9 2008 . ~, R Heal the Bay 1444 9th Street ph 310 451 1550 info@healthebay.org Santa Monica CA 90401 fax 310 496 1902. www.healthebay.org bits of plastic trash have tripled during the last decade. In some parts of the North Pacific, there is six times as much plastic by mass as there is planktons Furthermore, plastic bags severely threaten wildlife and degrade the environment. For months after a storm, streamside vegetation, in-stream habitats, and creek bottoms are littered with seemingly endless piles of plastic shopping bags. Streams and storm drains carry plastic bags to the ocean where they are frequently mistaken as food by marine life. More than 1 million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals, and countless fish -some of which are threatened or endangered species under California or federal law -are killed annually in the North Pacific from ingesting or becoming entangled in marine debris such as plastic bags. Over 267 species worldwide have been impacted by plastic litter such as plastic bags.b To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention ~ Santa Monica spends over $500,000 each year to clean-up plastics such as plastic bags from only 2.5 miles of beach. Unfortunately, despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment, partially because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and also due to the difficulty associated with their clean-up. These clean-up costs will.increase significantly as the compliance deadlines for the Ballona Creek Trash TMDL draw near. In addition, plastic bags litter our beaches, and threaten California's $46 billion ocean-dependent, tourism-oriented economy. Beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts the local Santa Monica economy. Santa Monica has an opportunity to be a true leader in dealing with plastic bag pollution. Voluntary recycling programs do not work. As noted in your staff report, voluntary program in San Francisco in 2006 was not effective in reaching City-mandated reduction targets, and led the City to adopt a ban in March 2007. A nationwide voluntary program in Australia begun in 2002 resulted in moderately increased recycling rates of plastic bags but had no effect on reducing litter and had little positive influence on consumer behavior despite an expenditure of over $50 million for public outreach on the program. In distinction fo merely voluntary measures, (such as those approved by Los Angeles County recently) a comprehensive plastic bag ban such as that being proposed in your staff report will best help leverage the funds already spent by the city on programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations and will provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost. We also note that a critical component of any ban ordinance that the City develops is the proposal for retail fees on paper bags. A paper retail fee component is essential to ensure that the City's ordinance drives truly sustainable bag use: re-useable bags. As the most ubiquitous alternative to plastic, paper bags are themselves fraught with environmental impacts: paper bag s C.J. Moore et al, (2001) "A Comparison of Plastic and Plankton in the Pacific Central Gyre," Marine Pollution Bulletin 42: 297-1300; 1 IUS Commission on Ocean Policy, An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century. Final Report: Washington, DC, 2004ISBN#0-9759462-0-X..102006 PPIC Poll data) e N. Wallace. "Debris entanglement in the marine environment: A review" (985) pp. 259-277 in: R.S. Shomura and H.O. Yoshida (eds.), Proceedings of the Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum. NMFS, NOAH-TM-NMFS-SWFC-5. '`'-' _ ,"'Californians Against Waste, http:/hvww.cawrecycles.org/plastic_campaing/plastic bags/problem 1444 9th Street ph 310 451 1550 info@healthebay.org Santa Monica CA 90401 fax 310 496 1902 www.healthebay.org ! 1L'8I 111 ~r'ty production consumes significant energy, and the impact of paper bag production on forests is enormous.8 Logging and manufacturing of bags produces greenhouse gases. Paper production also involves the use of toxic chemicals that contributes to both air pollution, such as acid rain, and water pollution.9 The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for centuries to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica an international leader on this issue and adopt the recommendation to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, Mark Gold, D. Env. President Kirsten James, MESM Water Quality Director s 1989 Plastic Recycling Directory, Society of Plastics Industry; www. reusablebags.com s "Comparison of the Effects on the Environment of Polyethylene and Paper Carrier Bags, "Federal Office of the Environment, August 1988. ADD 7~ 8-C F ~ ~ ~ '~ ZOOS '~ ~ v vy y f ~~ ~\F ~'ALIFORNIA Cs ROCERS ASSOCIATION wtn¢cagrocers.com February 19, 2008 The Honorable Herb Katz Mayor City of Santa Monica 1685 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 RE: Agenda Item # 8-C: Ban on Plastic Bags for Commercial Establishments in Santa Monica e Chairman of the eoartl Rlfiard E. Morgan, Jr. Holltlay/SawMOr Foptls Cottonwood First Vim Chair Kevin Nerglalz SarewaYlnc %m=~~e~ Secontl Vice Chair Bob Ling umnad a«eR commerce Treasurer George Fabm SWlerams.MVReY Colton Secretary Jim Amen Super A Fwtls, Inc aryorcamme~ tact Chair WNlam W, Anderson File,'c West Sarnmenm Dear Mayor Katz: On behalf of the California Grocers Association (CGA) thank you for the opportunity to provide input on agenda item # 8-C, `Ban on Plastic Bags for Commercial Establishments in Santa Monica" The California Grocers Association is anon-profit, statewide trade association representing the food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 500 retail members operating over 600 stores in California and Nevada, and approximately 300 grocery supplier companies. The members of CGA continue to make the issue of environmental stewardship one of their top priorities. As such, CGA continues to support efforts to promote recycling, reduction of bag use and the use of reusable bags. CGA believes bans on plastic bags or mandates for certain retailers do not solve the lazger issues. While product bans aze often viewed as the solution to reducing litter and waste, bans do nothing to educate consumers on the need for a change in behavior. As of July 1, 2007, retailers and their customers parfiered on compliance with the recycling opportunities created by the passage of Assembly Bi112449 (Levine, D-Van Nuys, Statutes of 2006). Assembly Bill 2449, also known as The "Statewide Plastic Bag Recycling Act", requires certain grocery and other retailers to implement at-store recycling programs for plastic carryout bags and also requires retailers to submit data to the California Integrated Waste Management Boazd detailing the recycling efforts of their customers. Additionally, stores now provide reusable bags for consumer purchase: The current at-store recycling program is a partnership between neighborhood retailers and their customers who have the opportunity to return clean, dry and empty plastic carryout bags for recycling.. Should aper--bag fee be implemented such action would severely diminish industry's current efforts to promote the return and recycling of plastic bags. 1475 L 8treeq BhRe 450 8aaamento, CA 95814 Tei: 976/448.3545 Fax: 976/448.2793 - 1020 NoM lake Street, Burbank, CA 915112 -,- -; 0 }~ ~ 1 ~~~ ~//IJ~~~ ~V® ~~ As with the "Statewide Plastic Bag Recycling Act," California's grocery industry continues to play an integral role in the State's recycling efforts. Not only are gocery stores committed to reducing, reusing, and recycling cazdboazd, plastics, green waste, corrugated waxy wood, and other valuable resources, but the number of stores participating in recycling programs and the number of products recycled continues to grow each yeaz. Many of CGA's members divert over 50% of their total solid waste from landfill disposal and actively engage with community members to encourage and assist customers in recycling various materials. CGA's members have long supported efforts to recycle plastics at-store. Grocery store members recycled over 32 million pounds of plastic in 2005, or roughly 9,960 pounds per store. These numbers include solid plastic, plastic film, plastic hags, and foam which can be made into things like parking lot bumpers and plastic lumber products. We believe the "Statewide Plastic Bag Recycling Act," will augment this success. As such, CGA opposes local legislation aimed at undermining current recycling efforts. We look forwazd to continuing our dialogue on this very important issue and ask that you delay any immediate acfion on this-item. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at (213) 624- 1030 or via email at iforkishCa~rosekindel.com Sincerely, Jennifer Forkish ~, ,•. r ~ ~' ..z ?CC8 From: Kirsten James [kjames@HealTheBay.org] Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 5:46 PM To: Clerk Mailbox Cc: Meredith McCarthy; Karin Hall Subject: Comment Letter -Item 8C -Plastic Bags Attachments: Htbplasticban_segal.doc Please see the attached comment letter for item SC (plastic bags) on February 19, 2008. Kirsten James Water Quality Director Heal the Bay 310.451.1500, ext. 162 C n y ~ '; , r~~ 2/19/2008 .~ .. ~~s ~ ~ 2C08 MICHAEL SEGAL FRED SEGAL SANTA MONICA 500 BROADWAY SANTA MONICA, CA 90401 310-394-8989 February 14, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax: 310-458-1621 RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: I encourage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica. I am concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. And we will do our part by eliminating the use of plastic carryout bags at our store as soon as we use our present supply - we will order no additional plastic bags. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Milliohs of barrels of oil are used. each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $500,000 each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already ~ E S ? 9 2008 spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the City's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. I urge you to make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, Michael Segal FEP-25-2008 11:54 February 14, ZDO$ Santa Monica C[ty Council 1585 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Eax:310-45$-1521 RE: Ban on Singly-Use Plastic Bags pear Santa Monica City Council: Q ~~ The undersigned businesses encpurage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an grdinance that trans the free distribution ofsingle-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fey on single-use paper bags. We are very concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic hags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected tv do our part by eliminating the use of plastic carryout bags at our stores. An estima#ed 6 billion plastic hags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 miElion plastic hags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oli are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic hags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to became litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled: To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dogars each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $SOp,00D each Year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment ofsingle-use plastic bags and the difficulty associatetl with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, whicfi impacts loco! coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag loan will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city, 'tthe urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the cit}/s recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. From: Madison INT To: 13104961902 Pase:2~9 FE9'-25-2008 11:54 From: Madison INT To: 13104961902 Pase:3~9 We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader an this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sin erely, avid Go les red Segal Eyes February 14, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax: 310-45g-1621 RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: The undersigned businesses encourage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. We are very concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the envirorunent and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected to do our part by eliminating the use of plastic carryout bags at our stores. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each yeaz in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each yeaz at only 25 grocery stores and food mazkets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oii are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $SDQ000 each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their Olean-up. Not only is cleaning up this poilution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additicnal litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. I'd LO£ti-OLf+-OTE ~agltg ue2eab WdZb~S 9T end ZTOZ Sincerely, Neta SHber, Owner Fred Segal Rocks and Silk. Z'd LOEb-~Lb-(1TE ~agjig ue2eay WdZb~S 9T ~~H ZTOz -0212012008 13:35 13104519066 HOLLYWOOD TRADING CO PAGE 01/01 rF3-A'-,?C~0@ 7'S~ Fr¢r..: ri~,d:san 7'.dT 1:;=.!:~i:~d4`. q8-'.•=i cgae'7^'iG~~ ~t~y The veyenCY fqr far_ai (~ave:'r1n"12r1: fa ii~ke aciior h<ss never keen gr~ataler. The lega~:y of ovr growdr,a c~ddicfinn in 5•isrc7fe^use plc;5fic'rsackoyngwih be Fef4' En t~~ er~vironrr'.ent for years to come. Banning pfosPia dogs I~ iho City of Snnfa Monica ^Nil! help .enhance ih® ci4y's,ecredtinrtal anu iotJeisrn ~c:ot•~or'-ny, rnnru~„~ the gr.rcalifY of life far reSidenf:, fret i val~rahle iorrcifiil s.~rtce. r~rxd..rastare-nr~r,environrraent-fa a'Clepnwr and healthier s+ttfe. ~,+rrcae ~:~o:t :rake ?!re C"siy of 5a!~!a ~vior~icq C:1~ader on Shis ISSUE anal Cadapt the ~- i~caRttTt5rldatiutlS la nan plasSiC dugs. as. pccYid~e4 ;rz tt~~e stuff report. Sincerely, ~.._~. tt ~ ..Y. ,~ t ~ ~ ~~ ~~C~.~f~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ G ~ ~~ ~ ~ February 19, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax: 310-458-1621 RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: The Ambrose urges you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. We are very concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected to do our part by eliminating the use of plastic carryout bags at our stores. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collecfively spend millions of dollazs each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $500,000 each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, Anne Carmack Environmental Practices The Ambrose 1255 20th Street Santa Monica, CA 90404 (310)315-3181 Direct (310)315-1556 Fax www. ambrosehotel. com Partner Member Green Hotels Association Sustainable Quality Award Grand Prize Winger [E-signature, Name, Title, Business] February 18, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax:310-458-1621 12E: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: The undersigned businesses encourage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. We are very concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected to do our part by eliminating the use of plastic carryout bags at our stores. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plasfic bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $500,000 each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreafional and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, Sarita Louise Moore & Becky Metering Community Leaders Santa Monica lululemon athletics 0`._5/2008 14:22 FAX 818 71a 0058 VENTLIRA 2 x]004 ,~ Happy Monkey Planet, LLC Po box 16817 Encino CA 91316 www.happymonkeyplane#.com February 15, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: The undersigned businesses encourage you to show yaurongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic} carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. We are very concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only far single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become inter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled, 02' 5/2008 14:22 FAX 818 71a 0058 VENTURA 2 ~ 005 To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year an clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $SDO,ODD each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts tv comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you to make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt tha recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, Roxanne Kotzman Co-owner Happy Monkey Planet www,happymonkeyplanet.com rox@happymonlceyplanet.com Page 1 of 2 Meredith McCarthy From: Jack [jackchow@urthcaffe.com] Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 10:00 AM To: Meredith McCarthy Subject: Please Support Santa Monica's vote to ban the bag! Attachments: image001.png; oledata.mso February 15,2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax:310-458-1621 RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council The undersigned businesses encourage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. We are very concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected to do our part by eliminating the use of plastic carryout bags at our stores. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean- up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $500,000 each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. 2/19/2008 Page 2 of 2 The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, Jack Chow Area Manager Urth Caffe Tel: 310-749-3984 Fax 1-866-532-9293 2/19/2008 February 15, 2008 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax: 310-458-1621 RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: Border Grill encourages you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. We are very concerned by the proliferation of single-use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected to do our part by eliminating the use of plastic carryout bags at our restaurant. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled, To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $500,000 each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, 149-547H•~ii~hax,~,~~c~~-r57t~~(.Gt~,~r1C99oY-o2 C3ib?45i-16S`6' Mary Sue Milliken Susan Feniger Chef/Owner Border Grill Chef/Owner Border Grill .14~54rH.~i~,~~l-',~~9o~a1~ t3io)'75j-16s~' Feb' 25 08 08:39p rIIGEL TIJRMER 310 -247-9044 p.2 February t a, 2DD8 Santa Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, (loom 2D9 Santa Monica, GA 9D40i Fax: 3t 0-d52-162t RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags pear Santa Monica Gity Council: The undersigned businesses encourage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of singlewuseplastic including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction an a proposal to require re#ailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. 4Ve are very concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected to do our part by eliminating the use of plastia carryout bags at our stores. An estimated d billion plastic bags are used each year in Las Angeles County. based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and toad markets in Santa Monica, Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastia bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to become IitFer and tpke up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degratles The environment. tJnforlunatety, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year an clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $500,0 each year to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beaehgoers and tourists are likely to ovoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage The funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica an its programs and efforts tv comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal Cast to the city, Feb z5 08 08:39p r1IGEL Tl1RfVER 31^ -247-9044 p.l The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quaii#y of life for residents, free valuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader vn this issue and adapt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, (E-signature, Name, Title, Business] ~~15~ 1 " l`JI~iY" C~w~~~ Sc~~wF~, r`~~u.~.cc~- ~. 9 ~~ !"/_4f oai'pR ^Z•dF ] Ji vu 5%rJ@<' rvFP. t. x.'p .r'r SP' ° fl-.~.:, (h ~ ~. ,,~etf' _.. ,.; I 4 '_ S.bti t ». ~' ~. °~ .nt':g, re ., Vti~'t7^ t '~°J'.. ;;'i1 f7~ .v~ Iii n-.. G~ Y _,ui k' Oi i w~ =)rvwir°c~ ~ ,«cii~r n,~~~.-„ r t- ~ is K>t~cf o n~ v„~li. . i `~.Y= > »#t +?¢'±ihe~env~,tGrenese.9x 1 'lgb!$'O COrsIP. EIOP.nin^+p!n-+jr`~v~S Jl i714 C~h *{'}efi'fS AAJroCC3 wi(':~`fa e,"713L7.!Cg rhL• L fy 5 Jcreo a P,(]~. d7xS ipd,f Y~f ~: [ ,,... ~. '>ri` ,r _ G'-~ i JCt'`y of'a'F~; i?:r r8vdig r.F<_ $e.~, Y7IutIC>S€?:n C19i;f siiar~_nne,=slnrg,@ur FSnY~L?e`r'S.-.4',>~ES C'8t9ncf t»~r'. 'itgd'~NhiFrr ctd;fp ~^+"~"dIKxP nJ ~4o d4,r, F. l.. nt lne ..~ _. . re ,,,,, °~7s~.'1~b' #1` ~,. df,.<< ,,,, C s. •.7,~y J4 ~,~ , s ,o uc'i r s.Cif+epUr4. f~ S1t~C~`?Cly. y ;. i~:~' 1 -r` r--~ i1 ~f '= r. ~,,-- t: ,,,, .. U _- ` ~~ r' z--~ li' ~~~~~ The urgency for loco! government tp take actior, has never been c~redler. The legacy of our growing dddictipn 1o single-use plastic packaging witl b® feN in fhe 2nvironmenf `or years to came. Banning plastic bags n fhe amity of Santa Monica wilt h°ip enhance the city', r8craotiUnal anti ;curism economy. improve ine quality cif life for residents, free vr~luabte ~pndfllt space. and restore our environment to n cleaner and healthier state. 'h'e urge you make ?he Csty of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plds°~ic 'odgs. as provided in the staff reporfi. Sincerely, [c•signa?ure, Name, title, Business? p~ l~ 5~~~2, ~ ~~~ ~c~~~ FEB-BS-2008 11:54 From: Madison INT To:1310496190B Paae:4~9 The ur enc far local. ov rnm ni 1 t g y g r~ e. . p. eke Qctlgn has,never~ean r9aier.7ttele be of 9 A Y Cur grCwing addiction la single-use plastic packpging wlil be felt in th@ @nvirOnn7ent for I! y'u*ars to come, Bannin®Plpsfic bags In the City of Spn1a°MOniep will Help enhance the ~i city's recreational pnd tourism economy, improve the taualiiy of Iite for rasidents, tree vofuable landfill space, and restore our environment to a ctepner and healfihier state. `Ne urge you make the City of Spntp Mpnfpq q i@g4ter an this issue and adopt ih@ r9CpmmEriddt+oni to ban plastic bpgs, as provided in the staff report. Sincer~Cly "` (E-5ir~r5ai ,Nome, Title, 8usinass) ~ohi.~ `.uc t~urSF~~ti1Lr d U_1 rJ ~G Sn'a i ~ hem ~r~a FEB-25-2008 11:54 From: Madison INT To:1310496190z Paae:S'9 ~~ Ttu3 urgency for Loco government to toks action has never been greater. the legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plgsfi~ pockpging will be fell in the envitorhrierit fpr Years to came. Banninr~ pli~slir t~n~s in thg Cityryf Scrnto Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free vplUpble Ipndtil! space, and restore our enviranmPnt ip a cleaner tend Healthier State. We urge you make the City of Sdntp Mon)Ga a leader off this issue pnd adopt ine recommendations to hnn plnsfi ds prnvtded in the stpfi report. Sincerely, (E-Sign Ure, Nome, Title, Busing ~~f~J/dIUS'~'US' ~~~~ ~~ FEB-25-8@@8 11:55 ~. yq. 2~ the urgenpy.tpr local government tp take aCtian has Haver f~gn grapier. The fegapy of our growing addiction ip single-usc plastic pdekar~inc~ will ba fglt in the environment for Y4'prs tp Cpm9. 8pnriing plpst'rc bp9S in~the~CilYOf 5ant4 Mpnica Will help errhance tt1C city's recreational and tourism economy, imprave the quality of life for rc5idents, free mirrnhle Innritill spore, and rastorr~ our pnvlrpnmant tp n rlepngr and heaithier State. We urge you make the City of Sonia Monlca a leader pn this issue and adopt the r®commandatian5 to ban plastic bags, as pravided in the skiff report. Smceroly, ~ [E•signature, Name, 7itIC, Business) ~3~'+ 7'trt/A J7/l/'~R~ ~~r'iLE1? S~'c~ u ~~ _ ~'~cnr7q s1it0 +U1L' A. _.J~i-Y11-~- ~~~-~- From: Madison INT To:131@49619@8 Paae:6~9 C+ ~~~~'~ L y 1~~~ si~~ FEB-25-2@@8 11:55 From: Madison INT F run~t"an:;pn :h;T Ta:131@49619@2 .....Z c,4yt.-}R.t~. Pa9e:7~9 ~r-T.' ` ihB urgency far ic,r. ^i govc~r+lrt~eri !p iukr' GCii(ir h<a; io-~ver been greats,. The legacy of Uur grawinctadclir;fon tip ;inq;E•i.Ke pl,a5?irpack;~U-:ny Wiil he r~l9 in tlia3 ertiviranment fUr years to came. Banning p3CrstiC fogs in thu +r i#y of Sani:~ nnUa,~cc7 wil! hf?Ii? enhance the Ci3y's recrcafir,na! acrd 9cn,tisrr °eo,,c,r~lp. ir:~:,re;v~~ tide c~t.tcali!y ~,Y Iife fUr residcn95, free vrrluahlP lundfiii spnr-e, rand rPStnre cur tsnviao7mr~nt to a chpt~n~r and hUafifliEt State 45l:~vrge you rna!re thU City of 5'ciiiTrl Mot~icn a tan~aT c>n thi; issL° t~nc~ trdopt the r-@camme~nciatipa~s to Marv plc+sfic. ~~ugs. as prc~~id~~l .n ;r,v sic'iFf re;,uri. Sincerely. ((-cigruPure, `-ssM~, ii"i~, F}~rinzs.J ~90~~~ ' Lu-©w,ne~- rte-. Vlh (~ s gp~fbl I~~ ~tt~t~lAv~ ~o Dw,~.~oA' ~/z~ ~-a~ SrM ~- ~c~lc~ i FEB-25-2008 11:55 From: Madison INT To:13104961902 Pa9e:8~9 The urgency far local government to take aCtian has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addlctian to single-use plastic packaging wits be felt in the onvironmcnl for years tp corr+6.8anpin9 p105tiC ba851r3 ttte City of Santa Mgn[ca wilt h8lp enhance tt7e city's recreatignpt and fourlsm economy, improve fhe quality of life For residents, free valuable Sand#iIl spoGC, and restore our environment to a cleaner and heolthier state. We urge you make the City of Sonia Monica a leader an this issue and adopt the recommendotiorts to ban plastic bags; as provit3ed in the st4Pr report. SlnGerE3y. (E-signr~tvre, name, CAD FEB-25-2008 11:55 From: Madison INT To:13104961902 Paae:9i9 The urgerwcy for local gavemment tv take action has never kieen. greoier. The legacy o} our growing addiction fosingle-vse plastic packagtng will be felt in the envlrpnmBrsi for Years iotome.-B[rnning pivstrc bags°fnihc City of Santa Monicawill hetp BnlYarlCe the city's r@Cfeptipnp and tourism eCahOlTly, improve the quplity of life for rBs"jentS, fre@ valuable landfill space. ono restore our environment to a cleaner and he4tthier state, We urge you make the City of Sonla Mvnic;rJ a leader an Ibis issue and adopt the recommendat'sarrs to ban plastic tangs, as providcd in the staff sport. Sincerely, ~`" ~ ~ ~ ~t s-~ LtJ ~rr~ [E-SignTre. Name. Title. Business (' D l,v '~f'~. eS j' ~~ ~C q2 E~1 ~ r~~ 'r18 i'. ~ 'lCV iOf i0( OI qC' ;:?1tF'IB^- f0 t~''k^ l~ I vl- i;~iS ; s -.914J.:'t.'il ~I k'V If3+. f (12 INx~~r~r pi OUf ',~'EJYVir<] UUf~iG~ivrV is >+iC~fH 4d E ~.~~J51-~ ~ [I~:K'UyiI1G ~'iii~ ~~~` [<~;'; in at(--' BT1Vit Ofl?1@f~f fpi "BCIS 'O C'JRSD ~Cfn.^.t~] n~. .~!r~ ~.~c ~ ~n_~, ~' 1 1 ,J('- ~~ ~a i;~n ~ 'r,A n •.^.EY ~- rso"sarv ! ti.1i:3c i,,,y ;. ^s~ n,,, _,~u, r- > .. ' th;. -.~€tli`V c h`e for r2Sid~r's, frt~ vnlua:xle <o; ~r~~'~ s~ ;,-~, rsne~ rt'=iue ~~,. _.n,rrp»rcw ,z n ~7 cl~on~rond h2'd}rifer stcte. SIP t7F~o veyJ mr~4e tt~e F ~¢y {7( 1Q? rJ 1h1?r i~:... r} }can rlg, E>h IhiS i551':_° Q^.Cf Odp~t f hn i~~r}TofnAi':GfCf SS i ~. h:,ln [. ZS'iil^ C7 c. QS ~ h~E,1 In .ir `F ,,~„ ~- ~ SiQi, roUfi. Sincerely ~ .. _. _ ... i' ~'J -„ U, G~,_~ FEB-1Y-2008 14:48 From: Madison INT To: 13104961902 ~ Pa9e:2'3 February 14, 2008 Santa Monica City Counail 1685 Main Street, Room 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax: 310-458-1621 RE: Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: The undersigned businesses encourage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft qn Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastia) carryout bags at stares within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. We are very concerned by the proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected to do our part by eliminating the use of plastia cdrryaut bags at our stores. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 2S grocery stores and food markets in Santa Monica, Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastic bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to became litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastia bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean-u p, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santp Monica spends over $50Q000 each year toclean-up plastics from the beach, Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless cansum~r treatment of single-use plastic bags and'fhe difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists pre likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A Comprehensive plastia bag ban will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. FEB-14-2@@8 14:48 From: Madison INT To:131@49619@2 Page:3~3 The urgency for local government to take action hps never been greater. The legacy at our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Spnta Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and Tourism econpmy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable landfill sppce, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations fo ban plastic bags, as provided in the staff report. Sincerely, [E-signpfure, Name, Title, Business] j~ February 14, 2008 Sarrta Monica City Council 1685 Main Street, Rcom 209 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax: 310-458-1621 RE: Ban on Single-Uae Plastic Bags Dear Santa Monica City Council: The undersigned businesses encourage you to show your ongoing commitment to the environment by directing the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance that bans the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags at stores within Santa Monica and providing staff with direction on a proposal to require retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags. We aze very concerned by the. proliferation of single use plastic bags in the environment and urge the City of Santa Monica to take strong action on this growing problem. We have elected to do our part by eliminating the use of plastic canyout bags at our stores. An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are used each year in Los Angeles County. Based on your staff report, 23 million plastic bags are used each year at only 25 grocery stores and food mazkets in Santa Monica. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year in the United States to manufacture plastid bags. Designed only for single-use, these bags have a high propensity to bedome litter and take up valuable landfill space. Plastic bag litter threatens wildlife and degrades the environment. Unfortunately, these bags are seldom recycled. To tackle the plastic bag litter problem, public agencies collectively spend millions of dollars each year on clean-up, enforcement, and prevention. The City of Santa Monica spends over $SDQODO each yeaz to clean-up plastics from the beach. Despite this effort, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in the environment because of careless consumer treatment of single-use plastic bags and the difficulty associated with their clean-up. Not only is cleaning up this pollution costly to taxpayers, but beachgoers and tourists are likely to avoid beaches strewn with trash, which impacts local coastal economies. A comprehensive plastic bag ban will help leverage the funds already spent by the City of Santa Monica on its programs and efforts to comply with litter reduction regulations. It would provide additional litter reduction at a minimal cost to the city. The urgency for local government to take action has never been greater. The legacy of our growing addiction to single-use plastic packaging will be felt in the environment for years to come. Banning plastic bags in the City of Santa Monica will help enhance the city's recreational and tourism economy, improve the quality of life for residents, free valuable Landfill space, and restore our environment to a cleaner and healthier state. We urge you make the City of Santa Monica a leader on this issue and adopt the recommendations to ban plastic bags, as provided !n the staff report. I'd LOEb-OLb-OlE ~aglzg ue~ea,y WdZi~~S 9T end 2TOZ Sincerely, Neta Silber, ` Owner Fred Segal Rceks and Silk. z'd LOEtr-OLi+-OTE ~aglig ue2ea,y Wd~b~S 9T ~~FJ ZT~Z