Frequently Asked Questions

Plastic bags can only be recycled through the State's "In-Store" Recycling Program, where approximately 5% to 10% of bags are recycled. Unfortunately, recycling equipment cannot take plastic bags and in fact become jammed in conventional recycling equipment.

Plastic bags that end up in the garbage are transported to a nearby landfill. Plastic bags that stay in place will take at least 500 years to photo degrade, especially if they are buried deep beneath debris. Unfortunately many of the bags that are dumped in the landfill blow away and are caught in the fencing surrounding landfills such as Keller Canyon in Pittsburg. The cost to remove these bags is incurred by trash and recycling ratepayers.

In an effort to promote the use of reusable bags in Danville retail establishments, the Town is distributing 10,000 reusable shopping bags free of charge to local residents. These bags will be distributed through the Danville Farmers' Market on Saturdays and other special events. The reusable bags are part of an economic development effort and feature the Shop Danville brand, reminding residents to shop locally.

Revenues would go to the Town of Danville's General Fund, although little if any revenues would be expected. The cost to administer the enforcement would likely exceed any potential revenue from fines.

Violation of the ordinance is an infraction that would first involve a warning notice for the first violation, $100 for the 2^nd violation, $200 for the 3^rd violation and $500 for the 4^th and subsequent violations.

The local ordinance would be enforced by the Town of Danville. Code enforcement would be called in on a complaint basis.

Once the ordinance takes effect, if complaints are received about a business, courtesy notices would be sent to the merchant before any fines were issued. Given the Town's limited staffing resources on code enforcement (only half of a full-time staff person), other higher-priority quality-of-life issues would be addressed before efforts are spent enforcing the single-use plastic bag ordinance. No additional staffing resources would be spent on enforcement.