In the heart of California, a battle rages against the tyranny of single-use plastic bags. Originally hailed as a weapon against pollution, the ban on these bags, known as SB 270, had its flaws. While it effectively put an end to conventional plastic bags, retailers cunningly devised thicker plastic bags masquerading as reusable, thus skirting the ban’s true purpose.

Jenn Engstrom, CALPIRG’s state director, voices her discontent, “California’s approach to plastic bag bans is flawed.” She points out how the proliferation of sturdier plastic bags has sabotaged the ban’s effectiveness, perpetuating environmental damage. Exploiting legal loopholes, plastic bag manufacturers churn out bags that, while technically reusable, often meet their demise after minimal use, adding to pollution and litter woes.

In response to these challenges, California State Senators Catherine Blakespear and Ben Allen, along with Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, have taken action. Their proposed legislation, Senate Bill 1053 and Assembly Bill 2236, aims to close the existing loophole by mandating that retailers provide 100 percent recycled or reusable bags made with non-film plastic.

Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan asserts, “AB 2236 is our battle cry against plastic Pollution.” By imposing stricter regulations and promoting eco-friendly alternatives, the bills seek to eradicate plastic bags from California’s retail landscape, mitigating their detrimental impact on waterways, wildlife, and ecosystems.

According to Senator Blakespear, the urgency to address this single-use plastic bags issue is evident in the staggering statistics. Despite the initial ban, Californians continued to discard substantial amounts of plastic bags, with usage increasing over time. Plastic bags, with an average lifespan of just 12 minutes, pose a significant threat to the environment, persisting as harmful debris in oceans and landfills for centuries.

Blakespear emphasizes, “It’s time to improve on California’s original plastic bags ban and do it right this time by completely eliminating plastic bags from being used at grocery stores.”