• Affects establishments selling goods directly to customers, such as grocery stores, hardware stores, video stores, fabric stores, liquor stores, gift shops, farmer's markets, festivals, and clothing stores.
• Exempts restaurants, fast-food businesses, charitable thrift stores and food pantries; and exempts stores providing services, such as dry cleaners, beauty shops and car washes unless they sell goods.
• Single-use plastic carryout bags are banned (defined as less than 2.25 mil thick). Old supplies may be used as protective bags if handles are cut off (see definition).
• Sellers may provide paper bags or reusable bags to customers for a minimum of ten cents ($.10) per bag (bag charge is non-taxable). Fee Amendment in 2014 retained the $.10 bag charge.
• Sellers must itemize the ten cent bag charge on the customer’s receipt if receipts are normally provided.
• Sellers may exempt customers paying for goods with WIC coupons or food stamp cards from the ten cent bag charge.
• Sellers retain the revenue from the bag charges to compensate for the cost of carryout bags and record-keeping requirements.
• Sellers may not provide free carryout bags to customers after April 22, 2013, except as noted above. Sellers may provide carryout bags with a promotion that discounts other goods to compensate for the bag charges, e.g. buy 10 items and get a reusable bag.
• Paper bags must be 100% recyclable, be made of 40% post-consumer content, be marked with the words “Recyclable and Reusable,” and show the manufacturers contact information.
• Reusable bags must have handles and be made of machine-washable cloth or other durable plastic material (plastic at least 2.25 mil thick).
• Sellers may provide protective paper or plastic bags at no charge to customers to transport goods within the store to the cashier, such as bags for meat, vegetables, greeting cards, bulk items, live fish, and medications dispensed by a pharmacy. Protective bags do not have handles. Old supplies of plastic carryout bags may be used for protective bags if the handles are cut off.
• Sellers must retain records of bag supply purchase and bag charges for three years and make available to the City upon request.

The City mailed a Retailer’s Toolkit with information and temporary signs to all retail businesses based on business licenses. In addition, City representatives visited stores to answer questions, provide technical assistance, window posters, decals, cashier tent signs, parking lot signs, and an information packet with tips for retailers, bag specifications and a list of bag suppliers.

To schedule a store visit, please contact us at recycle@mountainview.gov or call 650- 903-6311.

The Retailer’s Toolkit, ordinance, and more information are available under Documents.

The City provided information to customers in April 2013 at festivals and at grocery stores throughout the City; and at meetings of the Council Neighborhood Committee.

For information about the ordinance, see Documents or contact us at recycle@mountainview.gov, call 650-903-6311.

• Ordinance No. 10.12 and Amended Ordinance (bag charge remains at $.10 per paper or reusable bag effective January 1, 2015)
• Results - Staff Report 9.16.14 recommending retention of $.10 per bag charge.
• Reusable Bag Ordinance Information Sheet
• Retailer's Toolkit
• Cashier Tent Cards
• Bag Specifications (for retailers)
• Poster for Retailers
• Festivals and Special Events Conditions
• Customer (Resident) Information - English
• Customer (Resident) Information - Spanish
• Customer (Resident) Information - Russian
• Customer (Resident) Information - Chinese
• Customer Door Hanger
• Ordinance Development & EIR

• General FAQ from Retailer's Toolkit
• Supplemental FAQ