SB 1053 (Blakespear & Bauer-Kahan)

OVERVIEW:

SB 1053 would amend current law to no longer allow covered stores to provide ‘thicker’ plastic bags at check stands as a ‘reusable’ bag. Only paper bags will be offered for sale/distribution at check stand.

ISSUE

Following the momentum of local ordinances enacted across the state, SB 270 (Padilla, 2014) was adopted by the Legislature, initiating a statewide phase-out of single-use plastic carryout bags at most food and beverage stores. This legislation included an exemption for thicker plastic bags made of high-density polyethylene, or HDPE. 

In 2004, CalRecycle released a waste characterization study and found Californians disposed of 147,038 tons of plastic grocery and merchandise bags, roughly 8 pounds per person. In 2021, that number climbed to 231,072 tons of plastic bags, or 11 pounds per person. What this data shows is that the “plastic bag ban” passed in 2014 did not reduce the overall use of plastic bags and actually resulted in a substantial increase.

Although proponents of HDPE bags will claim they are easily recyclable in California, these bags need to go to specialty recycling facilities. According to a LA Times report, many municipal workers say plastic bags have to be manually removed from the machinery at regular recycling centers and end up in a landfill. Moreover, the LA Times reached out to municipal and city recycling centers around the state and was unable to find a single one that accepts HDPE bags for recycling. 

While recent amendments to these bills would mean the law no longer defines standards for reusable bags that may be sold at stores, we believe this measure has the potential to substantially reduce the generation of plastic film carryout bags.

An identical bill, AB 2236 was introduced by Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan in the Legislature this year. With the adoption of SB 1053 by both houses it became unnecessary to advance that measure.

Position: Strongly supported by Californians Against Waste
Contact: Mark Murray & Krystal Raynes

Status: Signed by Governor Newsom

Current language, analysis, and votes:  SB 1053

Listen to CAW Executive Director Mark Murray on why it’s time to #BanTheBag on AirTalk with Larry Mantle.

Learn more about the issues with plastic bags.