The Los Angeles City Council voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to ban plastic bags. If approved, the measure, pending environmental review and a subsequent vote, would make L.A. the biggest American city to do away with this major source of pollution.

The council originally considered banning paper bags as well, but decided instead to implement a 10 cent fee charged by retailers.

The ban applies to the cheap disposable shopping bags typically found in grocery stores, many of which end up clogging the city’s gutters and floating in its ocean. — PZS

KNBC:

The council approved a compromise measure, introduced Tuesday after years of debate over the issue, that would phase in a ban on plastic grocery bags. The measure will eventually require retailers to charge 10 cents for paper bags, which an original measure would have also banned.

The policy, approved on a 13-1 vote, will still need to be crafted into law by the City Attorney’s Office, and will be subject to an environmental review before it returns to the council for another vote. The council wants a final vote within four months.

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