Berkeley bans thin single-use plastic carryout bags and requires retailers to charge at least 25 cents for each reusable or recycled paper bag provided at checkout, exceeding California SB 270 baseline.
Berkeley's Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance, layered with the Disposable Foodware and Litter Reduction Ordinance (BMC Chapter 11.60, 2019), prohibits thin single-use plastic carryout bags at all Berkeley retailers. Customers must be charged a minimum of 25 cents per reusable bag or recycled-content paper bag, retained by the retailer. The 25-cent floor is higher than California Senate Bill 270's 10-cent statewide minimum. Berkeley's rule also requires that compostable foodware bags meet BPI certification and that retailers track bag-fee revenue. SNAP and WIC customers are exempt from the bag charge.
Retailers handing out banned thin plastic bags or skipping the bag charge face administrative citations starting at 100 dollars, escalating with repeat violations under BMC Chapter 11.60.
See how other cities in Alameda County handle plastic bag rules.
See how Berkeley's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
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