Single Use Carry-out Bags Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission of Santa Clara County (RWRC)

1. Single Use Carry-out BagsRecycling and Waste Reduction Commission of Santa Clara County (RWRC) Presentation to SCCCA Jamie McLeod, RWRC Chair, SC Skip Lacaze, TAC Source Reduction & Recycling Chair, SJ January 8, 2009

2. Problem • Plastic bags w/o proper disposal … • litters environment, destroys aquatic life/wildlife, • clog drains, flooding, • 1,000 years to decompose, most not recycled, • recycling costs, clean-up costs for local government. • Single use bags (paper or plastic) • higher consumption of natural resources, • higher generation of green house gases, • Additional waste stream management, clean up costs,

3. Public Wants Action • Referred to RWRC, propose countywide policy • Regional approach – easier on business and consumers (Green Building Initiative) • “Workable solution” to address problem, be responsive to stakeholders • Ultimately city/county responsibility • RWRC no authority to implement • Action pending in some cities (SJ, PA)

4. Options • Aggressive: outright ban – fast results, challenging for businesses and consumers, SF. • Active: incentive for behavioral change – allows for transition, successful case studies. • Passive: education only – very slow results, success limited, problem typically remains. • Ignore: Do nothing – problem remains, grows.

5. Stakeholder Input • Bag Manufacturers & Labor • Support: multi-use manufactures (paper & plastic) • Concern: single-use manufacture (need to retool), more work to implement. • Business Owners, Organizations, Chambers • Support: no fee for business, money to implement (now buy bags, give away) • Concern: ban, timing, implement (reprogram registers, reports), bureaucracy. • Consumers • Support: exemptions - food hygiene (meat, vegetables), paper (cards, copies) • Concern: cost prior to behavioral change, impact on low-income. • Public • Support: reduced costs for clean up/clearing of drains, flood protection, aesthetics & community pride, environmental protection. Criticism: ranges from “not strong enough” to “too strong” CA Grocer’s Assn “public heading in this direction…help steer ship” (AB68)

6. Current Draft Intent: modify behavior, minimize challenges to implement • 25 cents for single-use carry-out bags (paper & plastic) • Maximum $2 • Consumer pays, not business • 5 cents to business to implement, 20 cents to jurisdictions Evolved - ban to behavioral change, includes all single-use bags, phase in, transparency to customers, revenue to implement. Exemptions • Restaurants & take out • Protect food hygiene (meats, produce) • Protect paper products (card insert bags, copies) • Food Stamp & WIC programs

7. Timeline • April 23, 2008 – Update on plastic bag issue. • August 27, 2008 – Presentation on single-use bags, sample programs, policy issues, stakeholder input. • October 22, 2008 – Policy discussion , model ordinance options, stakeholder input. • December 10, 2008 – Discussion of draft ordinance, input. • December 12, 2008 – Sent draft model ordinance to cities/ county for feedback on implementation. • January 8, 2009 – Presentation to SCCCA. • February 25, 2009 – Compile input, forward to cities/county. • April 22, 2009 – Earth Day (adopt, future implementation).

8. Feedback Needed • Implementation – use fee only as cost recovery for outreach, education, and litter abatement activities. • Enforcement – city-specific or countywide approach? (cities issue business licenses, but County Weights & Measures is already in many stores to check pricing accuracy) • CEQA – required, Negative Declaration sufficient? • Timing – when implement, given economy & city budgets? • Adopt vs. Implement – Earth Day? implement in future? Many challenges, few opportunities to make valued change