Six months after Seattle’s controversial plastic bag ban was implemented, prohibiting stores from distributing flimsy single-using plastic shopping bags to their customers, the measure has been hailed as “popular and successful” this morning during a meeting of the city council’s Libraries, Utilities, and Center Committee.

According to a modest October survey (.pdf) of nearly 891 people conducted by Environment Washington, 32 percent of consumers report that they bring their own bags “most of the time” when shopping, while another 34 percent say they bring their own bags every time.

However, it seems that more work needs to be done to convince small businesses of the utility of the ban. Only 52 percent of the 31 small businesses surveyed agreed that the ban was useful and effective, as opposed to 78 percent of supermarket employees.

According to four surveyed grocery stores, carryout bag use has dropped by 15,000 bags per month since the law’s July implementation.