California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law Sunday, SB 1053, aimed at banning the distribution of plastic bags at grocery store checkouts. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), seeks to address growing plastic waste in California by eliminating the use of thicker plastic bags once considered “reusable” under previous laws.
The bill closes a loophole in the state’s original single-use plastic bag ban, which was enacted a decade ago. That law allowed stores to sell thicker plastic carryout bags that were supposed to meet certain recyclability standards. However, according to the new legislation, these bags have rarely been reused or recycled and often end up polluting the environment or filling landfills.
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“I thank Governor Newsom for signing this important legislation that will help protect California’s environment,” said Sen. Blakespear. “Instead of being asked ‘paper or plastic?’ at checkout, consumers will now be asked if they want a paper bag—unless they bring their own reusable bag. This simple approach will help dramatically reduce plastic bag pollution.”
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan echoed these sentiments, saying, “We deserve a cleaner future for our communities, our children, and our earth. It’s time to get rid of these plastic bags and move toward a more pollution-free environment.”
The new law aims to combat the growing issue of plastic waste. Despite the initial ban on single-use bags, the amount of plastic bag waste in California has actually increased. CalRecycle reports that plastic bag disposal grew from 157,385 tons in 2014 (the year the original ban passed) to 231,072 tons by 2022—a 47% rise.
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Under the new legislation, grocery stores can offer recycled paper bags at checkout, and customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags. The law doesn’t restrict the sale of any specific bags but mandates that only paper bags can be provided at the point of sale.
SB 1053 has garnered support from more than 200 organizations, including Azul, Californians Against Waste, the California Grocers Association, CALPIRG, Heal the Bay, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, and the Surfrider Foundation.
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