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Board raises checkout bag fee to 25¢ and restricts pre‑checkout plastic bags on first reading
Summary
Supervisors passed on first reading an ordinance to raise the checkout bag charge from 10¢ to 25¢ and require pre‑checkout produce/bulk bags to be compostable or recycled paper, with the change effective July 1, 2020.
The Board of Supervisors passed on first reading July 16 an ordinance increasing San Francisco’s checkout bag charge from 10¢ to 25¢ and prohibiting non‑compostable pre‑checkout bags (such as thin produce bags) beginning July 1, 2020.
Supervisor Norman Yee (appearing in the transcript as "Supervisor Brown" in some exchanges) and co‑sponsors said the ordinance would build on San Francisco’s 2012 ordinance and follow the lead of other Bay Area jurisdictions charging 25¢. The legislation requires that pre‑checkout bags provided prior to point of sale — typically thin clear bags used for produce and bulk items — be recyclable paper or compostable. Supporters said these ultra‑thin plastic bags contaminate compost streams and are difficult to recycle.
Supervisor Brown told the board that San Francisco produces about 3 million tons of waste annually and said the higher fee and pre‑checkout restrictions are necessary to curb consumption and support zero‑waste goals. The clerk recorded a roll‑call vote of 10–0 for first reading.
The ordinance will return to the board for second reading at a later date, and supporters said the effective date for the higher charge and the pre‑checkout restriction would be July 1, 2020, if the board adopts second reading.
