Plastic Bag Ban Goes into Effect for Watsonville - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

Watsonville, Calif. -- A ban on single-use plastic bags goes into effect Friday for the city of Watsonville. The city now joins a handful of other Central Coast jurisdictions limiting the use of plastic bags.

According to the city of Watsonville, all stores within the city will no long provide plastic bags at checkout. In addition, stores must charge ten cents for each paper bag used by a customer. In September of 2013, the charge for paper bags will increase to 25 cents in order to encourage customers to use reusable bags.

Plastic bags will continue to be available for take-out food, produce, meat and frozen items. All restaurants are exempt from the ordinance. There will be no charge for paper bags for take-out food and pharmacy items, or for shoppers using WIC or food stamps.

Affordable reusable bags are available at most local markets. The city of Watsonville says the bag ban is an effort to make the community clear, safer and healthier. The average person uses 500 plastic bags each year; yet, only three percent of these plastic bags are recycled.