City Ordinance

The Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance (Refer to Chapter 9.10, Part 13) became effective January 1, 2012, with the following provisions:

  • Grocery stores, pharmacies, small and large retailers can no longer provide single-use plastic carryout bags at checkout.
  • Stores may still provide paper bags made of 40% post-consumer recycled material and charge a minimum of 10 cents for each bag. The charge will be retained by the store.

Shopping with a Reusable Bag is the Best Choice

A high-quality reusable bag has the potential to replace over 600 single-use plastic bags over its lifetime, significantly reducing plastic bag litter and conserving natural resources. Paper bags are also problematic, taking 14 million trees each year in the United States to produce a year's supply of paper bags for retail use.

Recycle Plastic Bags at Local Grocery and Pharmacy Stores

Reuse or return plastic bags to your local grocery or pharmacy stores for recycling. Plastic bag recycling bins are typically found near store entrances. Find a drop off location near you.

Of the plastic bags, sacks and wraps that were generated in 2017 nationwide, only 9.4% were recycled. The City of San José no longer collects plastic bags at curbside for recycling because they interfere with the recycling facility’s machinery, costing an estimated $1 million in repairs each year. For more information, visit San José Recycle’s webpage on plastic bags.

Results of the Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance

  • In creek and river litter surveys single-use plastic bags have shown a 78% reduction from 9% of total litter pre-ban ordinance to 2% of total litter post-ban ordinance.
  • Based on a study conducted in 2016 by the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program, 69% fewer single-use plastic carry-out bags were found in storm drain inlets.
  • Visual surveys conducted in 2019 at retail businesses indicate a 94% reduction in the average use of single-use plastic carry-out bags, and an increase in reusable bag usage from 3% pre-ordinance to 47% post-ordinance.

Retailer Checklist

  • Stock paper bags with at least 40% post-consumer recycled content paper bag.
  • Charge a minimum of 10 cents for each paper bag as a separate item on the sales receipt. For tax information, review the statement by the California Board of Equalization for more information about the minimum price on bags.
  • Maintain three years of onsite records of your company’s purchase and sale of paper bags (with at least 40% post-consumer recycled content) as of January 1, 2012.

Additional Suggestions

  • Sell and promote the use of reusable bags in your store and your company’s circulars, online media, and company website and add a link to San José Recycle’s Plastic Bag Guide for those customers who may want more information.
  • Offer a credit or incentive to customers who shop with reusable bags.

If you have questions about the Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance, call (408) 535-8550 or email us at WasteEnforcement@sanjoseca.gov.