Enforcement of the ban on plastic shopping bags and polystyrene carry-out food containers begins Aug. 1.

The days of plastic shopping bags and polystyrene carry-out food containers are numbered — the Gainesville City Commission gave final approval Thursday night to a ban.

Several people in the audience spoke in favor and against the ban, but it was unanimously approved.

“We are choking ourselves with plastic in our waterways. This is serious stuff,” Commissioner Helen Warren said. “People say we are moving too quickly, but I don’t think we are moving quickly enough.”

Among those who spoke against the ban was Chris Rose II, an executive committeeman for the Libertarian Party of Florida.

Rose said the problem exists, adding that he has volunteered on clean-ups.

But the ban is essentially the city saying its efforts to get the public to quit using single-use plastics and foam has failed.

“You had to succumb to calling in law enforcement, code enforcement. I think that is a real tragedy,” Rose said. “Government has this mentality that if they don’t do something it won’t get done...I want to encourage you once again to leave this to the free market.”

City officials have amended the ordinance several times, with some new exemptions added for things like bags from laundry and dry cleaners, and bags you may use inside a grocery store to sack up fruits and vegetables, or get from a pharmacist.

Gainesville commissioners have been discussing the plan for about a year. The intent is to limit the use of items that are harmful to the environment, while encouraging merchants to offer more easily recyclable replacements, such as brown paper bags or compostable containers.

Gina Hawkins, executive director of Keep Alachua County Beautiful, said other states have banned polystyrene for several decades. The problems caused by plastic and foam have gotten more attention in recent years because of increased knowledge of their impact on animals and people.

“Keep Alachua County is ready to reach out to businesses, find the ones who are doing a good job, recognize them and helping the ones who are not aware of the alternatives available to reduce their waste.”

Businesses will have time to find alternatives — enforcement of the ban won’t begin until Aug. 1.

Before Thursday, Coral Gables was the only city in Florida to have approved a ban on plastic bags and Styrofoam. The state Legislature passed a law forbidding such local ordinances, with a legal challenge to that now working its way through the courts. Miami Beach has banned plastic bags and straws from cafes. Other Florida cities are considering similar restrictions but are waiting while the legal fight continues.

Gainesville commissioners have said they are modeling Gainesville’s rules after those in Coral Gables, but the two ordinances have big differences.

Among them are the penalties. Gainesville has a fine of $250 for each offense. Coral Gables has an increasing scale of fines, starting at $50 and going up to $500 after a third offense.

Gainesville rules apply to businesses and nonprofits alike, although the University of Florida and Santa Fe College would be exempt because they are overseen by state government.