California bans polyethylene bags from retail stores

Ten years after California, the most populous subnational entity in the United States, initially tried and failed to ban plastic bags at grocery stores, state lawmakers have made another attempt by calling for a total ban on such products late last week. This time, state lawmakers have passed a law that will permanently end the choice of ‘paper or plastic’ in checkout lanes.

Located in the Western United States, California lawmakers approved Senate Bill 1053 and Assembly Bill 2036, which prohibit grocery stores from offering any bags other than paper at the exit point, bolstering the original goals of California’s 2014 plastic bag ban, according to the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG). Home to approximately 39 million residents and covering an area of 163,696 square miles (423,970 square kilometres), California is the most populous US state and the third-largest by area in North America.

Senate Bill 1053 was passed with an initial majority of 49-5, while Assembly Bill 2036 was cleared by the state senate with a vote of 31-8. Both bills were sent to Governor Gavin Newsom for final signature which will make them a law.

First passed in 2014
California became the first state in the United States to pass a legislation for banning plastic bags at retail grocery stores. However, the legislation was upheld two years later in 2016. The original law i.e. Senate Bill 270 allowed grocery stores to still offer plastic bags as long as they were deemed reusable and recyclable. Both manufacturers and users benefited from this loopholes and continued supply and availability of thicker bags at grocery stores. The manufacturers claimed to be meeting the Criteria, but such bags were rarely re-used.

Jenn Engstrom, State Director, CALPIRG, stated, “Plastic bags create pollution in our environment. We are known for a long time and sustainable players. Grocery stores have been allowed to still provide thicker plastic bags. Consequently, plastic bag waste is an all-time high. Today’s legislation in favour, California is on track to finally ban plastic bags in grocery checkout lanes once and for all.”

According to Engstrom, customers would be encouraged to bring their own shopping bags or purchase paper bags at the checkout points for a nominal fee. State Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) was quoted as saying, “Instead of being asked do you want paper or plastic at checkout, consumers should be simply be asked if they want a paper bag. This easy change eliminates plastic bags from the point of sale and helps California significantly reduce the plastic waste, contaminating environment and waters.”

It is worth noting that Blakespear and Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) had introduced these identical legislations – Senate Bill 1053 and Assembly Bill 2236 – that sought to tighten the loophole and allow grocery stores to offer ‘reusable’ plastic bags at the checkout line for a nominal fee. Finally, these legislations were approved by a majority.

CALPIRG report
Consumer advocacy group CALPIRG released a report earlier this year on plastic waste generation in California in the period between the calendar year 2014 and 2021. The report reveals that California generated 157,385 tonnes of waste in 2014 by discarding all types of non-reusable plastic bags and other such materials, which jumped by a staggering 47 percent to 231,072 tonnes in the calendar year 2021. Comparing plastic waste with population increase, CALPIRG observes a substantial jump in plastic waste generation between 2014 and 2021. According to the report, every 1,000 people generated 4.08 tonnes of plastic waste in 2014, which shot up to 5.89 tonnes for every 1,000 people in 2021.

The primary factors attributed to this substantial increase were the 2014 legislation for banning plastic carry bags at grocery stores. The legislation allowed grocery retailers to offer customers, thick, heavier plastic bags that could understandably re-used after purchase. In practical, however, those bags find little use after customers unloaded grocery at home. The new legislation was backed by both environmental groups and the California Grocers’ Association – an alliance of grocery retailers in the state.

According to a government report titled ‘Mobilizing Federal Action on Plastic Pollution: Progress, Principles, and Priorities,’ the United States President Joe Biden administration has set a goal to phase out the purchasing and use of single-use plastics across the country by 2035. A White House statement reads, “Communities across the United States and around the world are facing a plastic pollution crisis. The action is part of a government strategy to ‘target plastic pollution at production, processing, use and disposal of plastic materials.”


DILIP KUMAR JHA
Editor
dilip.jha@polymerupdate.com