Violation 4(b) – 3(n): Providing a Non-Compliant Recycled Paper Bag
Upon inspection, it was determined that the recycled paper bags distributed at point of sale are not compliant under Ordinance 2012-02 bag specifications.
Upon inspection, it was determined that the recycled paper bags distributed at point of sale are not compliant under Ordinance 2012-02 bag specifications.
Upon inspection, it was determined your business was not itemizing the required per bag charge (minimum ten cents ($0.10)) for each recycled paper bag or reusable bag.
As per the Reusable Bag Ordinance 2012-02, "No store may make available for sale a recycled paper bag and/or reusable bag unless the amount of the sale for the bag is separately itemized on the sales receipt."
Upon inspection, it was determined your business did not charge or did not charge a sufficient amount of ten cents ($0.10) per bag in sales to customers for either a compliant Recycled Paper Bag or compliant Reusable Bag.
Upon inspection of your business, it was determined that single-use carryout bags were being sold for the purposes of transporting food or merchandise from your retail store.
Per the Reusable Bag Ordinance 2012-2, "No Store shall provide single-use carryout bags to a customer at the check stand, cash register, point of sale or other location for the purposes of transporting food or merchandises out of the Store."
The Authority expects stores to voluntarily comply and will provide assistance to help stores make the transition as easy as possible. Repeated non-compliance with the terms of the Ordinance could result in legal consequences including civil action and/or administrative citation. Citations range from $100 to $1,000 depending on the nature and severity of the violation.
The Board of the Alameda County Waste Management Authority ("Authority") ordains as follows:
The Board of the Authority does hereby enact this Ordinance in full consisting of Section 1 through Section 1110.
The Alameda County Waste Management Authority adopted the initial Reusable Bag Ordinance in January 2012 to reduce the use of single-use carryout bags and promote the use of reusable bags. Similar ordinances have been passed in San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles County, and other communities throughout California.
Businesses should be ordering and distributing compliant bags. If you purchased or were supplied with non-compliant bags you cannot distribute them to customers, but you may find an alternate use for them in your business (such as lining waste baskets) or you may donate them to charitable reuse organizations such as food banks which are in need of bags for food distribution to community members without enough to eat. Contact information for food banks can be found here.