9 Jan 2012

First fines for breach of American Samoa plastic bag ban

11:21 am on 9 January 2012

Three businesses in American Samoa have been fined 50 US dollars each for violating the law banning the distribution of plastic shopping bags.

These are the first offenders to be cited under the plastic bag ban that was enacted in February of last year.

Laufou Shopping Center, Gold Conda Ltd, and Ever Fortune were cited last month during the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency's initial round of citations.

Representatives of these businesses have pleaded guilty to violating the law .

The District Court ordered the businesses to pay a fine of 50 dollars which is the penalty for first-time violators.