L.A. council votes to ban plastic bags at markets

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            Plastic bags will be phased out at supermarkets over the several months in Los Angeles, the City Council ruled on Wednesday by a 13-1 vote.


            Los Angeles became the nation’s largest city to enact such a ban, which will affect about 7,500 stores. Environmentalists hailed it as a victory, saying the move will reduce trash in landfills and area waterways, as well as in the Pacific Ocean.


            Councilman Ed Reyes, who is leading an effort to clean up the Los Angeles River, wants legislators in Sacramento to enact a ban across the state.


            Already, Long Beach, San Francisco and San Jose are among the cities with such a ban.


            Allies of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had wanted to also ban paper grocery bags, which would require customers to take their own reusable bags to stores. Instead, the council decided to charge customers 10 cents per paper bag.


            The vote on Wednesday will trigger a four-month-long environmental review of the bag ban, and then the ordinance will take effect. Large stores then will have six months to eliminate bags, with smaller stores given 12 months.


            Councilman Paul Koretz, a proponent of the plastic bag ban, said the city will lead a story in two years to determine whether to outlaw paper bags as well. He said he hoped that by then, so many customers will have acquired their own bags that such a ban will not be necessary.


            Employees of companies that make plastic bags asked the council not to take action, saying they feared they would lose their jobs.

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