Cities Ban Plastic Water Bottles, Plastic Bags, BPA, And More (PHOTOS)

There are many environmental issues that need addressing. But with the federal and state governments moving at their usual pace, cities are getting fed up and taking matters into their own hands.

From India to America, East Coast to the West Coast, we've rounded up the movements against plastic bags, plastic bottles, and even plastic toys that are getting boosts from mayors and town councils who want the best for their citizens, plus one very un-eco-friendly town in Colorado.

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In September Treehugger reported that Brownsville, Texas banned plastic bags. The ban goes in effect on January 5th, when customers who forget bags will be charged a dollar for an extra one. Pharmacies, hardware stores and dry cleaner are exempt. USA Today reports that the anti-bag sentiment is spreading. California couldn’t muster the votes to ban bags, but individual cities like San Francisco, Malibu, Fairfax and Palo Alto are already there, and more cities are threatening to follow suit. Then there is Westport, Connecticut; the Outer Banks in North Carolina; Bethel, Alaska; Edmonds, Washington, and the American Samoa Islands. Our neighbors down south are getting in on the action too. Mexico City banned plastic bags in August of this year.

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In September Treehugger reported that Brownsville, Texas banned plastic bags. The ban goes in effect on January 5th, when customers who forget bags will be charged a dollar for an extra one. Pharmacies, hardware stores and dry cleaner are exempt.

USA Today reports that the anti-bag sentiment is spreading. California couldn’t muster the votes to ban bags, but individual cities like San Francisco, Malibu, Fairfax and Palo Alto are already there, and more cities are threatening to follow suit. Then there is Westport, Connecticut; the Outer Banks in North Carolina; Bethel, Alaska; Edmonds, Washington, and the American Samoa Islands.

Our neighbors down south are getting in on the action too. Mexico City banned plastic bags in August of this year.

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Comments

[CacophonyArtHouse]

11:46 AM on 11/07/2010

Re: "Forget Cash for Clunkers, the city of Kolkata in India, where an estimated 70 percent of residents suffer from respiratory problems, outright banned vehicles older than 15 years last year in August. Officials seized taxis, buses, and almost all of the city’s rickshaws."

Anyone know why rickshaws? Is it because the drivers are in the line of fire for breathing in the fumes from the vehicles? Kolkata's rickshaw business was brought to light in the book then made movie, City of Joy. These are people powered machines. Much like a bike's carbon footprint would be. Doesn't make sense to me to ban the only "no emission" vehicle on the road b/c of health?

[Keeper Ansley]

04:56 PM on 10/18/2010

A way for people to deal with plastic bags once already being used is to bring the plastic bags back to the grocery store and have them recycled. The recycled bags go through the entire making process again to then be formed into new plastic bags.
On another note, did you know that the manufacturing and recycling of plastic bags indirectly creates between 15,000 and 30,000 jobs and helps to accelerate local commerce?

While many people claim that banning bags may not hurt you, it would impact more than 30,000 hardworking families and communities!

At a time when national unemployment is between 9-10% it just doesn't make sense.

[Margery Kempe]

10:49 PM on 11/13/2010

Perhaps it's because such a low percentage of those bags are recycled. Perhaps because of the texas-six plastic islands in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. If we did not have to deal with the landfill issues of those bags, governments could use that spare money to open up other kinds of jobs. Are these jobs the best kind of jobs. or jobs that are just one step from being outsourced to China? we we make a direct correlation between sound ecological policy and job loss, we miss the point--that these jobs that help degrade the earth are NOT the only jobs.

[EcoPragmatist]

04:30 AM on 10/14/2010

Its being banned because the funding isnt there to employ people to clean it up, so laws have to be introduced to stop people doing it. Thats the whole point of a law.

Personally, i think if you use one durable bag for shopping, or put any items from shops in a rucksack, you dont need plastic.

I wouls also note that oyster mushrooms can break down hydrocarbons (plastic) and produce edible food, so there is a free source of growing material for oyster mushrooms.

[Mitch Craft]

07:18 PM on 10/13/2010

I understand all of these except smoking in parks. Really? I mean c'mon its outside. Especially in New York? Cause there is nothing worse than taking you baby to the park and or jogging while getting smoke blown in your face. What a bunch of BS. 1 cigg puts out about 4.3 ppm of CO, where a car driving by puts out about 200 ppm of CO if they are up to environmental code. So little ol' me sitting in an open park smoking is no where near the amount of cancer causing agents produced by the several thousand cars that just drove by. I am fine with not smoking inside, but outside leave me alone and get real. Way more important things to worry about.

[shastaman]

03:30 PM on 10/13/2010

Looks to me like " Critical Mass " needs to boost the economy of Black Hawk by holding a "massive " convention there!
Portland outlawed poly styrene serving packages 18 years ago and it is always surprising to me when I travel and am presented with that noxious product
JUST SAY NO TO PLASTIC PERIOD! ! !

[EllenOrn]

12:06 AM on 10/13/2010

Anyone besides me wonder if there's BPA in all those single serving coffee things that are used in the Keurig coffee makers? If BPA gets released into water bottles when the plastic is heated doesn't it seem to make sense that it would also get released into the coffee as hot water is forced through the plastic? I asked this question at a tradeshow, of a guy who was hawking these machines, and he had no answer.

[justoverit333]

01:56 PM on 10/12/2010

My town FINALLY started a recycling program. The fee is reasonable.
Took a new Mayor to finally get it going.

[shastaman]

03:20 PM on 10/13/2010

wish we had a new mayor! Portland Or

[jacobomorales]

09:51 AM on 10/12/2010

We either do or die!!!

[vetxcl]

08:56 PM on 10/11/2010

fracking. doing for your drinking water what bp did to the gulf coast.

[Nikmc]

04:17 PM on 10/11/2010

I find this funny. Maybe we should address the problem from the root.

1. Make hemp legal
2. Begin to use hemp as a resource for materials.
3. Tax (the hell out of) the companies that make plastic products (just like they did to put hemp production out of business in the 30s) and hopefully they will all fail.

BUT let's not kid ourselves. We know money run things in the world, and it's safe to say there is no way hemp will be declassified as a controlled substance - even though you cannot smoke it or ingest it to get any form of euphoria - as long as major companies whom have a stake in the plastic industry (and it trickles down so the reach is deep) and their lobbyists exist.

There are so many things in the USA being made with materials that are and have been destructive to the environment that could be made with hemp production. Of course it would put quite a few big wig companies out of business or at least give them some seriously needed competition. As it stands it's either one giant or another that we buy from, I call it a monopoly-monopoly.

[Margie Kronewitter]

09:44 PM on 12/10/2010

Replacing plastics with HEMP would be the BEST CHANGE society could make. (Research HEMP as fuel, clothing & the most balanced food oil) Polyester clothing & sheets will also melt onto the body if ignited. Synthetic bras are even suspected in contributing to breast cancer. Koch Industries are one of the biggest polluters of the planet & political discourse. There is a list on the web of the brands of household products they manufacture that SHOULD BE BOYCOTTED. City & County Councils are where local politics are primarily affeced. Pay attention, participate & educate. It's the Conservative agenda, so out Fox them.

[BannedNBoston]

03:59 PM on 10/11/2010

Good BPA is toxic estrogen.

http://vodpod.com/watch/4066212-dr-gianluigi-zangari-bp-gulf-oil-disaster-gulf-stream-loop-current-breaking-down-effects-on-global-climate

[Mark Montgomery]

02:59 PM on 10/11/2010

Black Hawk is one of those small gambling towns. Not an outdoor mecca when you think of Colorado. More like cigarettes, polyester, high BMI counts, and buckets of nickels. But still, banning bikes? Ridiculous.

[Squib]

06:34 PM on 10/11/2010

Its odd because its not easy to get by bike anyway. Highway 6 is far to narrow with a ton of traffic which makes it a road to stay off while cycling.

[Please-Play-Fair]

01:46 PM on 10/11/2010

I just don't get the banning of the Happy Meal toys. What we are telling our parents is that they don't know how to say "no" to their child. McDonalds still as a $3 menu which is essentially a Happy Meal minus the toy.

Are they going to go after toys in cereal? You can't single out McDonalds ... and possibly other fast food chains.

[WYHKTai-Tai]

07:19 AM on 10/12/2010

I thought that too, (when I read that other article on SF banning happy meal toys), but as described in this article, it is more than just regulating people's bad choices, it is also simply a trash problem. They DO in fact usually end up in the garbage in 2 days. Maybe they are a big plastic/trash problem the city then has to pay to bury or burn. (?) Don't know. They might have included a 'study' if one has been done.

I haven't seen any toys in cereal, like we used to have when I was a kid for a long time now. & Burger King used to have the BEST toys, my boys kept them for years and years, but this year, (our annual visit) they didn't give out a toy, just some paper promo-things. So maybe other companies are stopping on their own. (?)

[JScott]

01:11 AM on 10/13/2010

Interesting tho the burger chains that have the REALLY REALLY good burgers (aka the In N Outs etc) have never offered any of these toys nor playlands.......bottom line it's their food that's much better it doesn't need a gimmick like a toy or a playland to get folks to buy their food.

[lightningbolt]

10:13 AM on 10/11/2010

Our nation has become so gridlocked and dysfunctional due to corporate influence and republican obstruction that it is almost impossible to get anything done at the Federal level. It is a great idea for local governments to take action. It is much easier to solve problems, get agreements, and take action at the local level.

[Squib]

06:37 PM on 10/11/2010

yeah pretty much seems the city/local government is the only level of government that people can still influence. I think that it would benefit is all to really start focusing our efforts at the local government level. Seem people really get caught up on national issues and ignore there local situation.