Governor Announces NEW BAN – He’s Signing It!

California To Ban Plastic Bags Next

(AmericanProsperity.com) – California has a reputation for pushing progressive initiatives, making it among the most liberal states in the country. For years, local lawmakers have pressed for more environmentally sound alternatives to resources and practices that could harm the ecosystem or worsen climate change. Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) took the movement to new heights on September 30 when he signed Senate Bill No. 1046, effectively moving toward banning all forms of non-compostable plastic bags in supermarkets.

The new legislation will affect all “pre-checkout bag[s,]” such as those available in produce, meat, and bulk food departments. Stores will need to provide paper sacks or other alternatives to meet requirements for home composting. The bill cites an analysis that determined US consumers used 4.2 tons of plastic bags in 2018 and only recycled about 10% of the total. The legislation doesn’t affect pre-packaged items.

SB.1046 points to the success of Proposition 67, which banned single-use plastic checkout bags across the Golden State in 2016. The legislation requires retailers to sell multi-use, compostable bags at 10 cents each to consumers who fail to bring their own reusable ones. Between 2010 and 2017, the effort saw a decrease in plastic bag waste collection in yearly Coastal Cleanup Days from 65,000 bags to 26,000.

Legislators originally drafted the bill to go into effect in 2023, but the California Grocers Association, which has opposed the change, convinced lawmakers to push back the date to January 1, 2025. The group points out that not all materials protect against leakage and breakage, which can contaminate foods or leave them otherwise vulnerable.

“They play a pivotal role in protecting consumers from possible contamination and food illnesses that result from raw packaged meats touching other products." https://t.co/cv1OUesOHo

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) October 11, 2022