Board approves expanded checkout-bag ban with outreach and limited exemptions

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an ordinance amending the Environment Code to extend restrictions on single-use checkout bags to all retail and food establishments, and added amendments directing expanded multilingual merchant outreach and limited exemptions for certain uses.

The ordinance requires stores to charge 10¢ for most checkout bags and gives the Department of the Environment a role in education and vendor outreach. The board approved an amendment directing the Department to provide multilingual information for store employees and customers, to publish lists of vendors that distribute recyclable or reusable bags, and to conduct outreach and “bag fairs” to connect merchants with allowable-bag suppliers. The amendment also clarified that bags used to package fragile or oversized items would not be covered by the ban.

Why it matters: Supervisors and the department said the measure is intended to reduce plastic litter and spur reuse while easing merchants’ transition through education and a modest fee. Supporters stressed the city’s 0 waste goals; opponents raised concerns about process and merchant impact during earlier hearings.

The ordinance won broad support from supervisors who said the measure had been improved through rounds of amendments and by targeted outreach to merchant groups and non-English-speaking neighborhoods. Department of the Environment Director Melanie Nutter told the board the department led a “robust outreach effort” since early December, contacting 35 merchant associations and organizations and hearing back from 23; special outreach workers from the department’s Environment Now program spoke directly with 901 businesses across 11 districts. Nutter said the department had translated flyers into Spanish and Chinese and set aside $20,000 for a reusable-bag giveaway program and had interest from corporate sponsors to help fund giveaways.

Supervisor David Chiu, who carried amendments and supported the final measure, said the outreach requirement and the smaller 10¢ charge (reduced from 25¢ in earlier drafts) made the ordinance more workable for merchants and residents. "I don't think that this legislation was as easy for me," Chiu said, noting the need for clear implementation and continued outreach. Supervisor Scott Wiener, who said he had been skeptical early in the process but had pressed for a lower charge and other changes, said the amended bill was now “a much better ordinance” and announced his support.

Key details and implementation steps

- Effective date: The Department of the Environment told the board it would notify merchants that the ordinance’s implementation date is planned for Oct. 1, 2012, and would encourage stores to use existing inventory. The department said it could work, on a case-by-case basis, with merchants that have excess plastic-bag inventory to provide temporary exemptions so prior investments are not wasted.

- Outreach and staff resources: The city’s Environment Now outreach team was retrained for four days and assigned to merchant corridors by language skill; staff who speak Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin and Tagalog led conversations with store owners. The department reported 901 businesses contacted in four days.

- Giveaway and funding: The department set aside $20,000 for a reusable-bag giveaway program and reported interest from corporate sponsors; final giveaway details were still in development.

Votes and next steps

The board approved the amendment and then passed the ordinance as amended on roll call. The clerk recorded 10 ayes on both the amendment and the ordinance.

What remains: Several supervisors said they want continued, clear implementation guidance and additional outreach to underserved communities during the rollout period so merchants understand exemptions and enforcement. The Department of the Environment has responsibility for multilingual outreach and follow-up with merchants.

Sources and attribution: Supervisors and department staff spoke during the Feb. board meeting. Statements and outreach figures are from Melanie Nutter, Director, Department of the Environment; and from remarks on the Board floor by President Chu, Supervisor David Chiu, Supervisor Scott Wiener and Supervisor John Avalos (speakers are listed below).