Since early 2015, Surfrider’s San Diego Chapter has been advocating and working with city staff of the city of Oceanside on developing a plastic bag ban ordinance for Oceanside.  Throughout the campaign, Chapter volunteers have participated in numerous public meetings thoughout the community focused on education and developing a successful ordinance, submitted dozens of letters of support to city staff and council members, and testified at the City Council meeting August 10th, where the City Council voted to approve an ordinance after first reading. On August 24th council approved the second reading of the ordinance making it official!  

Oceanside’s ordinance will require large stores, those that generate more than $2 million in annual sales or have at least 10,000 square feet of sales space, to stop using single-use plastic bags starting in January. Other smaller stores would follow a year later.

While we are excited to celebrate this local victory, we are still encouraging everyone to vote YES on Proposition 67 in November for a statewide plastic bag ban!