The urban myth of the San Francisco ban lies with the fact that law, called the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance, was never intended to be and is not a ban on plastic bags. The law only applies to supermarkets making more than $2 million in revenue and pharmacies. This is about 1/3 of vendors by some estimates.

Contrary to what we are often told, if you visit San Francisco today you will still see plastic bags handed out.

Possibly the greatest false promise within the San Francisco ordinance was the belief that it would cut litter and lead to widespread use of reusable bags. Ironically it moved stores and consumers to paper bags which are now entering landfills in a greater volume than plastic ever did. Reusable bag

In reaction the Mayor has now called for a ban on paper bags.