Plastic bag manufacturers sue Manhattan Beach over ban

The Save the Plastic Bag Coalition (nope, not making this up) is suing Manhattan Beach for banning the disposable bags by arguing to a judge that the city is in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act. That's right -- banning plastic bags is environmentally unfriendly. The Daily Breeze has the details:

The Save the Plastic Bag Coalition has asked a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to toss out the prohibition on grounds that the city violated the California Environmental Quality Act by not fully analyzing the environmental effects of such a ban, according to papers filed recently.

The suit also asks a judge to declare the city has no power to ban plastic bags, even if it were to conduct a full environmental impact report.

"In order to afford the fullest possible environmental protection, an analysis of the ordinance's potential environmental impacts pursuant to CEQA is appropriate and necessary," the suit states.

The coalition -- composed of about 10 plastic retailers and manufacturers -- vowed in July to sue after the City Council approved the ban with hopes of reducing visual and environmental pollution it believes is caused by the ubiquitous plastic products.

"They said they were definitely going to sue," said City Attorney Bob Wadden, who had not yet seen the lawsuit Monday morning. "It would have been a surprise if they hadn't sued -- a pleasant surprise."

The coalition plans to sue every city that takes a stab at banning plastic bags. Manhattan Beach, meanwhile, is going forward with its ban.

--Veronique de Turenne

Photo: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[thealaskan]

Well, no one can accuse industry of suing a town w/o the bucks to defend itself. Heck, Manhattan Beach even preemptively sued a local for asking why a police captain was hired whose previous work experience included supervising the hog tying of one (only one) prisoner and hanging him upside down in a coastal town jail. Now the city would like to ban the bag. Feels good but maybe that LATimes photo could have been taken in Manhatten Beach. Take a walk in this burg and try to find a bag blowing in the wind. Sam Zell would not approve the overtime. Manhattan Beach may be kind of careless with lawsuits (the new AT&T sued them too) but at least they clean the streets. Hey! Maybe the Save the Bag Coalition should sue the city of la for the mess their denizens leave on the street giving the poor plastic bag a bad name.

[bag manufacturers]

Great Blog Veronique.