Paper please: California voters approve plastic bag ban

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California`s ban on single-use plastic carryout bags will stay in effect after voters narrowly approved the policy, according to preliminary results Thursday.

Proposition 67 was placed on Tuesday`s ballot by plastic bag industry supporters to try to overturn a ban approved by the state legislature two years ago. The measure was approved with a 52 percent majority.

"California voters have taken a stand against a deceptive, multi-million dollar campaign by out-of-state plastic bag makers," said Mark Murray of Californians Against Waste, co-chair of the campaign. "This is a significant environmental victory that will mean an immediate elimination of the 25 million plastic bags that are polluted in California every day, threatening wildlife."