Fort Bragg OKs plastic-bag ban

Fort Bragg officials have approved a ban on disposable plastic shopping bags, the second Mendocino County city to do so in a week.

Mendocino County supervisors are expected to approve a similar ban in the unincorporated areas next month.

The Fort Bragg ordinance, approved Monday night, will go into effect 30 days following final approval. Like Ukiah's ban, the affected stores will then have six months to comply, officials said.

All of the bans will be phased in. Major grocery stores and pharmacies will be the first required to comply, followed by other retailers.

The bans follow a worldwide trend toward abolishing disposable plastic bags, which have become a ubiquitous litter problem that creates visual blight, clogs waterways and kills and maims wildlife.

Marin and San Francisco counties have plastic bag ordinances in place. Sonoma County is discussing a ban.