The ban on plastic bags and the fee on paper bags at all retail establishments begins July 1, 2012. Remember to bring your own reuseable bags when you shop in Monterey. You will be supporting a healthier environment and reducing negative impacts on our beautiful bay.

For more information and to review the documents, click here.

CVS announced yesterday that all of its 7,200 locations will now offer customers an affordable way to safely dispose of unused, expired or unwanted medications. For more disposal options, please click here.

To take advantage of the new service, customers purchase a Sharps Compliance Corp. postage-paid envelope for $3.99 at their local CVS pharmacy; they then mail their medications through the U.S. Postal Service to Sharps Compliance Corp.’s licensed facility for safe destruction.

By law, this program cannot accept controlled substances – illegal drugs or certain prescription medications that are regulated by the government.

Both prescription and over-the-counter medication can pollute the environment if disposed of improperly: Drugs flushed down the toilet can contaminate water sources, and drugs thrown in the trash have the potential to leach out of the landfill and pollute soil and groundwater.

Have Recycling Questions? Confused about what to recycle and places for reuse?Check out the Recycling & Reuse Guide. An A-Z guide about waste reduction and reuse options.