UPDATE Wednesday, July 20, 5:35pm | Long Beach City Council members who backed postponing for one month the Aug. 1 launch of the city’s new ban on plastic bags for large retailers changed their minds yet again Tuesday afternoon, withdrawing the agenda item.
The initial phase of the ban, which applies only to large-scale stores such as Target, Ralphs, Vons and Walmart, is once again scheduled to go into effect on time Aug. 1.
Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal, along with Councilmen Robert Garcia and Gary DeLong, placed the item on the agenda calling for the postponement in order to clear up any confusion regarding the stores to which the ordinance banning the bags applies.
The agenda item was submitted despite affected retailers including Target stating that they were ready to go plastic-bag-less on Aug. 1. The Press-Telegram on Tuesday reported that Lowenthal said the agenda item was drawn up in response to confusion among some council members as to the affected stores.
However, DeLong told the Press-Telegram Tuesday in a report published Wednesday that the item had been brought forth based on the concerns of residents and retailers. It was scrapped from the agenda after the retailers said they were ready to move forward with compliance beginning Aug. 1, he added.
Tuesday, July 19, 10:45m | The Long Beach City Council will consider an item on tonight’s council meeting agenda that would push back the initial effective date of the recently approved ban on plastic bags.
The ban was given the green light in a split 5-3 vote on May 24, with Councilman Patrick O’Donnell and Councilwomen Gerrie Schipske and and Rae Gabelich casting the dissenting votes.
The ban applies to light-weight plastic bags distributed by supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, farmers markets and other, similar retailers, according to the ordinance approved in May.
The ban is set to go into effect for larger retailers such as Ralphs on Aug. 1, while smaller, mom-and-pop type shops have until Jan. 1, 2012.
If approved, the agenda item would push back the effective date of the ban by one month for larger retailers. The city manager would also be directed to establish recommendations for the requirements governing the use of plastic multi-use bags.
The ban initially did not apply to the bags distributed by stores like Target or Walmart, but those stores are now being included in the group of stores to which the ban applies. A list of all stores to which the ban applies can be viewed by clicking here.
Click here to read our previous coverage of the plastic bag ban issue.
The council meeting begins at 5 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Long Beach City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd. The meeting can also be viewed online via live stream by clicking here.
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