San Francisco Lawmakers Approve Plastic Bag Ban

San Francisco is set to become the first city in the U.S. to ban use of petroleum-based plastic bags by certain businesses, after the city's Board of Supervisors passed a new law that is expected to be approved by Mayor Gavin Newsom. According to the Associated Press, the proposed law "requires large markets and drug stores to offer customers bags made of paper that can be recycled, plastic that breaks down easily enough to be made into compost, or reusable cloth."

• Read the S.F. Board of Supervisors Committee Report on the new Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance [PDF file]
• From the Associated Press: San Francisco Passes Plastic-Bag Ban