SB 270 (Padilla, de León, and Lara, 2013-14) Single Use Grocery Bags

Summary
Phases out single-use plastic grocery bags. Reusable, paper, and (in certain jurisdictions) compostable plastic bags can only be distributed with a minimum 10 cent charge. Includes standards and incentives for plastic bag manufacturers to transition to making reusable bags.

Update: Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 270 into law!  

Description
The total cost to manage plastic bag litter in our streets, our waterways, and even our recycling facilities and landfills amounts to millions being unnecessarily spent each year.

This bill seeks to reduce those costs by prohibiting single-use plastic grocery bags in supermarkets and drugstores starting July 1, 2015. By July 1, 2016, smaller grocery stores and convenience stores must also comply with the requirements. Other bags (paper, reusable, and in some jurisdictions, compostable) are allowed only with a ten cent minimum charge. Local ordinances adopted before September 1, 2014, which currently cover a third of the state's population, would be protected under a grandfathering clause.

This bill also seeks to protect and create green jobs by creating standards and incentives for plastic bag manufacturers to transition to making reusable bags.

FAQ - Living Without Single-Use Plastic Grocery Bags

CAW Staff Contacts
Mark Murray (916) 443-5422

Sue Vang

    Current Language, Analyses and Votes 

    Senator Alex Padilla
    State Capitol
    Sacramento, CA 95814

    Senator Kevin de León
    State Capitol
    Sacramento, CA 95814

    Senator Ricardo Lara
    State Capitol
    Sacramento, CA 95814

    Support

    All One Ocean
    Azul
    Bag It
    Black Surfers Collective
    BlueGreen Alliance
    California Association of Environmental Health Administrators
    California Coastal Coalition
    California Coastkeeper
    California Grocers Association
    California League of Conservation Voters
    California Retailers Association
    Californians Against Waste
    Center for Biological Diversity
    Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education
    ChicoEco, Inc.
    City of Clayton
    City of Concord
    City of Culver City
    City of Los Angeles
    City of Long Beach, Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal
    City of Manhattan Beach
    City of Oceanside
    City of Palm Desert 
    City of Palo Alto
    City of Sacramento
    City of Sacramento, Council Member Kevin McCarty
    City of San Diego, Council Member Sherri Lightner
    City of San Jose, Council Member Sam Liccardo
    City of San Luis Obispo, Council Member John Ashbough
    City of San Rafael
    City of Santa Monica
    City of Sunnyvale
    City and County of San Francisco
    Clean Oceans Competition
    Clean Water Action
    Colorado Ocean Coalition
    Command Packaging
    Community Environmental Council
    Contra Costa Clean Water Program
    Costa Mesa Sanitary District
    County of Contra Costa
    County of Los Angeles, Supervisor Gloria Molina
    County of Los Angeles, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas
    County of Marin
    County of San Mateo
    County of Santa Barbara
    County of Santa Clara
    Don't Waste LA
    Earthwise Bag Company Inc.
    Environment California
    Five Gyres Institute
    Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives
    Global Green USA
    Green Cities California
    Green Sangha
    Green Vets Los Angeles
    Green Waste Recovery
    Heal The Bay
    Help Animals India
    Hidden Resources
    Humboldt Waste Management Authority 
    Latino Coalition for a California Bag Ban
    Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy
    Los Angeles Leadership Council
    Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Alliance of River Communities
    Napa Recycling and Waste Services
    Napa Valley CanDo
    Natural Resources Defense Council
    Ocean Project
    Pacoima Beautiful
    Planning and Conservation League
    Plastic Free Himalayas
    Plastic Free Seas
    Plastic Paradise
    Plastic Pollution Coalition
    Plastic Soup Foundation
    Plasticbaglaws.org
    Recology
    Republic Services
    Reusable Bag Association
    Sachamama
    Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
    Seventh Generation Advisors
    Sierra Club California
    Silicon Valley Leadership Group
    Surfrider Foundation
    Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii
    Target
    Team Marine, Santa Monica High School & Santa Monica College
    Town of Yucca Valley
    Turtle Island Restoration Network
    United Food and Commercial Workers
    Western Center on Law and Poverty
    Wildcoast
    World Society for the Protection of Animals 
    Zero Waste Humboldt
    Zero Waste San Diego
    11,345 individuals (petition)