San Francisco 17¢ Bag Fee 

Resolution No. 007-04-COE (draft 2004)

WHEREAS, Bags use increasingly scarce resources including energy, and create pollution from production through disposal; and,

WHEREAS, In 1999, more than 14 million trees were felled to produce the 10 billion paper grocery bags used by Americans; and,

WHEREAS, In the U.S. alone, an estimated 12,000,000 barrels of oil are required to produce the 100 billion plastic bags used annually; and, 

WHEREAS, Bags create significant litter problems for San Francisco’s streets, beaches, sewer system and the marine environment; and,

WHEREAS, In every square mile of ocean it is estimated that there are over 46,000 pieces of plastic, of which plastic bags are a component; and,

WHEREAS, Over 100,000 marine animals die every year from plastic entanglement; and,

WHEREAS, The San Francisco Commission on the Environment and Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco adopted citywide goals of 75% landfill diversion by 2010 and zero waste by 2020; and,

WHEREAS, Bags are perceived as disposable products and are an impediment to San Francisco’s landfill diversion and other goals; and,

WHEREAS, Plastic bags are difficult to recycle or compost and are currently major contaminants in San Francisco’s recycling and composting programs; and,

WHEREAS, Nationally only 0.6 percent of plastic bags are recycled; and,

WHEREAS, Dozens of governments around the world have placed fees on bags or even banned plastic bags; and,

WHEREAS, A fee of 15 cents per bag on plastic shopping bags in the Republic of Ireland has cut their use by more than 90% and raised millions of euros to be spent on environmental projects; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Commission on the Environment urges the Mayor and Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco to adopt an ordinance requiring a 17¢ fee on each bag provided at supermarket checkout counters to reduce the proliferation of unnecessary bags and provide funds to mitigate the negative impacts caused by them; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the ordinance require supermarkets to submit the fee to the San Francisco Treasurer to then be distributed by the San Francisco Department of the Environment (SF Environment) for related purposes and programs, but be allowed to keep half (8.5 cents) of the fee for SF Environment approved programs such as to provide discounted durable reusable checkout bags, in-store collection of bags and other packaging for recycling, free compostable bags in produce and bulk aisles, discounted compostable bags and food service ware on store shelves, and outreach on waste prevention and recycling programs; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the ordinance require supermarkets to provide an annual report to SF Environment summarizing bag revenues and program expenditures, and submit any funds collected from bag fee revenues that remain unspent or allocated to unapproved programs at the end of each calendar year to the San Francisco Treasurer to be distributed by SF Environment; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the ordinance contain provisions to allow SF Environment to adjust the amount of the fee retained by supermarkets and in the future apply the fee beyond checkout bags and to smaller markets, drug stores, department stores, hardware stores, dry cleaners, newspapers and other bag distributors.

I hereby certify that this resolution was adopted by the Commission on the Environment at its special meeting on _______(date)____________

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Vote:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent: