California governor inks legislation restricting plastic bags at grocery stores
Date
9/23/2024 4:08:14 AM
(MENAFN) California has taken a significant step towards environmental sustainability with a new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom that bans all plastic shopping bags at grocery store checkout lines. This legislation, which will take effect in 2026, eliminates the choice of “paper or plastic,” as consumers who do not bring their own bags will only have the option to request paper bags. Previously, while thin plastic bags had been banned, shoppers could still purchase thicker plastic bags that were marketed as reusable and recyclable.
State Senator Catherine Blakespear, a supporter of the bill, highlighted a key issue: many consumers were not effectively reusing or recycling plastic bags. She referenced a state study indicating that the average amount of plastic shopping bags discarded per person rose from 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) annually in 2004 to 11 pounds (5 kilograms) by 2021. Blakespear, a Democrat from Encinitas, criticized the previous bag ban from a decade ago, asserting that it failed to reduce overall plastic usage. “We are literally choking our planet with plastic waste,” she stated earlier this year.
The environmental nonprofit Oceana commended Governor Newsom for this decision, emphasizing that it protects California’s coastline, marine life, and communities from the dangers of single-use plastic bags. Christy Leavitt, Oceana’s plastics campaign director, remarked that this new ban reinforces California's leadership in addressing the global plastic pollution crisis.
Currently, twelve states, including California, have enacted some form of statewide plastic bag ban, and numerous cities across 28 states have their own regulations in place. California initially passed its statewide ban on plastic bags in 2014, a law that was later confirmed by voters in a referendum in 2016. The California Public Interest Research Group welcomed the new law, stating it aligns with the original intent to curb plastic pollution. Their director, Jenn Engstrom, noted the harmful effects of plastic bags, which break down into microplastics that contaminate drinking water and pose health risks. With the governor’s signature, California has effectively eliminated plastic bags at grocery checkouts, marking a significant milestone in its environmental efforts. Notably, Governor Newsom previously signed the nation’s first plastic bag ban while serving as mayor of San Francisco in 2007.
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