Los Angeles has recently passed one of the toughest laws against plastic bags. According to the ban, "no store shall provide to any customer a plastic carryout bag." Exceptions to this ordinance only include plastic bags for fruit, vegetables or raw meat. Otherwise, a charge of 10 cent is required to purchase the plastic bag.

Despite the call, officials in La Cañada Flintridge, California, hesitant to regulate plastic bags.

"Most of our residents have a high level of awareness. We don't have issues with plastic bags littering our streets, and our waste haulers and street sweepers haven't expressed concern about these bags in our waste stream," said Mary Goytia Strauss, senior management analyst for the city.

Mayor Donald Voss said that the county's new ordinance might have the unintended consequence of forcing struggling residents to purchase reusable bags or pay for paper ones.

He also pointed out that consumers often find other household uses for disposable bags.

(Source: City hesitant to regulate plastic bags [Valley Sun])