Los Angeles Plastic Bag Ban Set to Start

Goes into effect Jan. 1

After Jan. 1, Los Angeles shoppers will no longer be presented with that checkout choice: Paper or plastic?

Instead, they will be required to bring in their own reusable bags or pay 10 cents for each paper bag they need.

The city's plastic bag ban will start with stores of more than 10,000 square feet or with annual sales of more than $2 million. Then, beginning on July 1, the ban will extend to smaller stores such as mini-marts.

Los Angeles is joining a growing trend of cities across the country — in California alone, about 90 cities or counties have passed plastic bag ordinances within recent years, according to the group Californians Against Waste.