Nearly ten years after California became the pioneer in banning single-use plastic bags, a surge in heavier “reusable” plastic bags has led to an increase in pollution.
Legislative Response
To mitigate the growing pollution problem, California lawmakers are now considering a bill to prohibit the sale of these thicker plastic bags, which have become a new environmental concern.
Disposed Bag Report
As per a CALPIRG report, California disposed of 157,385 tons of plastic bag waste in the year the law was enacted. By 2022, this figure surged to 231,072 tons, marking a 47% increase.
Increased Numbers
Even after factoring in population growth, the amount rose from 4.08 tons per 1,000 people in 2014 to 5.89 tons per 1,000 people in 2022.
Original Legislation
The landmark 2014 legislation, which came into effect in 2016, was celebrated as a crucial step towards reducing litter and protecting the ocean despite facing criticism from the plastic bag industry for potentially harming the economy and affecting low-income communities.
Bill Sponsors
The new legislation is supported by a collaboration among state Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, and Senator Catherine Blakespear, intended to tackle the adverse effects of plastic pollution and enhance recycling efforts.
“Less Plastic, Not More”
Senator Ben Allen emphasized that the initial ban’s intent was not to replace one problem with another, as he noted the recycling rate for plastics was only 8.7% in 2018, stating, “Californians want less plastic, not more.”
Law Loophole
Critics of the current legislation point out that it inadvertently promoted the use of heavier plastic bags by allowing them to be sold for ten cents, a loophole that has contributed to the current predicament.
A Conscious Decision
Mark Murray of Californians Against Waste expressed disappointment in the law’s loophole, saying, ‘It was a conscious decision to create a pathway for a type of reusable bag that barely existed.”
Industry Influence
He added, “It was just emerging in the marketplace, but it happened to be made by a couple of California companies … which the manufacturers claimed they could certify as being reusable.”
The Failed Experiment
He mentioned that the bags contained 20% recyclable material, with manufacturers claiming they could be recycled after use. Consequently, they decided to incorporate this specific criterion into the law. “That experiment failed,” Murray concluded.
Gaping Hole
“It was a gaping hole,” remarked Mark Gold, Director of Water Scarcity Solutions and Environmental Health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, who was involved in drafting the original legislation.
Recycling Challenge
The heavier bags, made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), pose a challenge for recycling and have been less likely to be reused, contradicting the law’s intentions towards sustainability.
Redefining Reusability
Jenn Engstrom from CALPIRG advocates for a revision of the definition of reusable bags to eliminate the exploitation of the law by plastic bag companies, aiming for a true reduction in plastic waste.
Get Rid of Setbacks
Engstrom noted, “The idea is to go back and redefine reusable bags as a way to get rid of all those setbacks that we’re now seeing very commonly in grocery stores.”
Investigation Initiated
In 2022, California Attorney General Rob Bonta initiated an investigation into the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries.
Crisis Exacerbated
The probe focused on their purported involvement in exacerbating a global crisis in plastic waste pollution and misleading the public into believing that recycling alone could address the issue of plastic waste.
Learn from Mistakes
Allen and Engstrom highlighted that states like New Jersey and New York mirrored California’s initiative to ban plastic bags. However, they took heed of California’s missteps and formulated legislation to address existing loopholes.
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