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Los Angeles County has become the latest municipality in the United States to ban the use of plastic shopping bags—excluding plastic bags used to hold raw meat. Weirdly, the ruling doesn't include Los Angeles, the city, or 87 other cities in the county. USA Today explains: "Stores can offer paper bags, but the ordinance requires that they must charge 10 cents for each. The stores will keep that money to buy more bags and to educate customers. The ban takes effect next July.... Every year 6 billion plastic bags are used in L.A. County, and they account for 25% of the litter that's picked up, the Times says. Just 5% of plastic bags are recycled." [USA Today]