Aug 12 - Desperate: Now Out-of-State Plastic Bag Makers are just LYING!

Out-of-state plastic bag producer Hilex Poly has launched another false and misleading attack against Senator Alex Padilla and SB 270—the bill to extend the phase out of plastic grocery bags statewide.

Lie #1: Hilex Poly has distributed hundreds of single-use plastic bags to members of the legislature claiming that these ‘thicker’ plastic bags would qualify as "Reusable Bags" under SB 270.

FALSE! The plastic bags distributed by Hilex Poly are single-use bags used for the take-out food sector. They would FAIL to qualify as "Reusable Bags" under SB 270 in 3 ways:

• They are not sufficiently durable or certified to withstand 125 uses.
• They don’t meet the minimum 2.25 mils thickness requirement (see photo: less than 1.5 mils).
• They are not made with 20% recycled material.

Lie #2: Hilex Poly claims that SB 270 "represents a billion dollar transfer of wealth from families to Grocery stores"

FALSE! In every California community that has implemented a Bag Ban, including those that require consumers to pay the cost of bags, total consumer bag costs have been substantially reduced!

• In Los Angeles County, reports show that the total consumer cost of single use bags has been cut by more than half, from $9.4 million annually to less than $3 million annually.
• In LA, the generation of recycled paper bags—for which there is a 10 cent charge—has remained virtually unchanged. The average ‘large’ Grocery Store in the county reports collecting an average of just $742/month.
• In San Jose, surveys of consumer transactions show that 58% of consumers are bringing their own reusable bags when shopping, and that 44% of shoppers did not request any bag.
• Based on local experience, under SB 270, California consumers are projected to save more than $219 million in reduced single-use bag costs, or over $17 a year per household a year.

Lie #3 : Hilex Poly claims that bag bans have not reduced litter and waste.

FALSE! California cities and counties that have already banned plastic grocery bags are seeing a substantial reduction in plastic bag litter and waste, as well as reduced GHGs, and lower costs.

• One year after its bag ban implementation, San Jose reported 89% fewer bags in its stormwater systems, and 59-60% fewer bags in its streets and creeks.
• San Francisco reported 18% fewer plastic bags in street litter from 2007 to 2009.
• Los Angeles County has documented a 95% reduction in all single use bags, and—despite the 10 cent charge—a savings of more than $8 million annually in single use bag costs.
• San Jose reports 35-50% decrease in plastic bag related problems with their recycling system/machinery.

Lie #4: Hilex Poly claims that SB 270 is the product of "Special Interests".

FALSE! SB 270 is the product of a six year grassroots campaign that began in San Francisco, and has grown to include more than 114 local governments with single-use plastic grocery bags bans.

• Hilex Poly, the American Chemistry Council, and their phony front groups (e.g., American Progressive Bag Alliance; Save the Plastic Bag Coalition) are the "Special Interests".
• Hilex Poly alone has spent almost $300,000 in campaign contributions over the last five years.
• Hilex Poly and other bag manufacturers have spent over $3 million in the last five years to lobby against state measures on plastic grocery bags.
  • SB 270 is supported by hundreds of statewide and local non-profit, environmental and consumer groups.

Don’t be duped by Hilex Poly - Get the Facts.
Today, 115 California cities and counties have adopted bans on plastic grocery bags. These local policies have been demonstrated to reduce plastic litter and waste, reduce GHGs associated with all single use bags, and save money.

SB 270 extends a uniform phase out of plastic bags statewide.