Jun 12 - Plastic Bag Recycling Law to Go into Effect Soon
CAW-sponsored AB 2449 (Levine), which requires that large grocery stores take back plastic shopping bags for recycling free of charge and was signed by the governor last year, goes into effect at the end of the month. The measure, which has plastic bags labelled to bring back for recycling and includes take back areas at grocery stores, is aimed at reducing a significant contributor to permanent urban litter and marine debris.
California Integrated Waste Board (CIWMB) Chairwoman Margo Brown told Peter Hecht of the Sacramento Bee that plastic bags have become a costly problem for local governments to clean up: "When the industry moved from predominately paper bags to plastic bags, it was thought that it was saving paper materials and trees. But it has resulted in a huge litter problem throughout the state and uncontrollable debris that just blows in the wind at landfills, at beaches and roadsides."
View a Press Release by the Progressive Bag Alliance>>Â Â
The CIWMB met today to discuss AB 2449.
CAW and Plastic Bags: