AB 2058 / AB 2769 (Levine-Brownley-Davis, 2007-08) Offsetting the Costs of Carryout Bag Litter
Summary.
Required a fee be placed on single-use carryout bags distributed at large grocery stores and pharmacies.
Position and Status.
CAW Supported.This bill was denied a Senate floor vote. Previously, AB 2769 was amended Aug 22. AB 2058 is on the Sen. Approps. suspense file. Previously, AB 2058 passed out of Sen. E.Q. committee June 23 with a 5-2 vote, passed out of the Assembly with a 42-30 vote May 28, passed out of Assembly Appropriations May 22, and passed out of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee April 14 with a 5-3 vote.
Description.
This bill would offset the environmental costs associated with single-use carryout bags litter, reduce the littering of plastic bags and incentivize the use of reusable bags. Plastic bags are among the most-often littered items in urban areas. Urban litter accounts for the vast majority of dangerous marine debris pollution. In some areas of the Pacific, plastic already outweighs plankton by a factor of 46! The bill would put a fee on all single-use carryout bags which can be avoided by consumers by using reusable bags. A similar approach in Ireland reduced plastic bag usage by over 90%. Consumers are currently paying for the costs of bag litter twice: first in the form of increased grocery costs to pay for the bags and second in taxes to fight litter. The bill would potentially reduce costs to consumers through grocery bills and taxes by decreasing bag usage and providing local governments with money to fight litter.
CAW Staff Contacts.
Mark Murray and Bryan Early (916) 443-5422
Current Actions.
No current actions for this bill.
Assembly Member Lloyd Levine
Supporters.
Californians Against Waste (Sponsor)
Heal the Bay (Sponsor)
LA County (Sponsor)
Sierra Club
California League of Conservation Voters
Surfrider Foundation
California Coastal Coalition
Northern California Recycling Association
Ballona Creek Renaissance
Chicobag
City and County of San Francisco Department of the Environment
City of Oakland
City of Manhattan Beach
Alameda County Waste Management Authority
Sonoma County Waste Management Agency
Current Language, Analyses and Votes.
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