SB 270 has cleared several hurdles and is on the verge of becoming law. The proposed bill which last week seemed to be in jeopardy of not passing and is the handiwork of Senators Alex Padilla, Kevin de Leon and Ricardo Lara passed both houses and now all that remains for this disposable plastic bag ban to become official is a signature from the Governor, Jerry Brown which needs to happen by September 30.
Over 100 cities and counties in California have switched to paper and reusable shopping bags due to laws banning single-use plastic bags. There has been much talk and a whole lot of work to pass a state-wide ban and with all of the disposable plastic bag bans popping up in California a state-wide ban makes a lot of sense. A law that covers the entire state would fill the gaps and create one set of rules for everyone – this would potentially eliminate hassle and confusion for shoppers and do wonders to streamline the waste stream and reduce the negative environmental impact of plastic trash.
As usual there is a strong California presence in our latest news on bag bans in the U.S., but we an also report that there are other cities working to ban single-use plastic bags and reduce the harm caused by these environmental nuisances. Read on to get your update and learn more about the latest news on bag bans in the U.S.
There is a growing trend around the world to ban single-use plastic bags. In Africa, Asia and Europe, these bans are typically implemented at a country wide level, but similar measures are gaining in popularity in the United States. However, State side these bag bans are applied at a city or county level. The world is a diverse place, and yet it seems that banning single-use plastic bags is a commonality – something that people from drastically different cultures can agree on and see value in. I have broken down why disposable plastic bags are being banned across the world.
There have been a lot of developments in the movement to ban single-use plastic bags – some have been success stories and others are still works in progress, but here is an update on bag bans across the U.S.
It is with great excitement that we tell you that the President today banned single use plastic bags from the United States! The announcement was made earlier today at a press conference and according to the President this ban will ‘set the United States on a path towards sustainability.’ The disposable bag ban is set to go into action on July 1, 2014 and will prohibit the distribution of single-use plastic bags at grocery and big box stores. Paper bags will be available for a 5-cent fee. Stores will keep the paper bag fee as it is intended to cover the expense stores incur when purchasing paper bags. Individuals on public assistance programs will be exempt from the fee.
California is in the news again as another proposed law is aiming to ban plastic bags from supermarkets across the state. In the proposed bill, which is a collaboration between Senators Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) and Ricardo Lara (D-Long Beach), not only would single-use plastic bags be banned, but stores would be allowed to charge 10 cents for every recyclable bag shoppers need.
Disposable bag bans are great for the environment since they prevent litter and the damaging effects discarded single-use plastic bags can have on ecosystems and municipalities alike. Another benefit of disposable bag bans is the boost they give to businesses as they make the switch to reusable grocery bags and shopping bags. This is a great chance for you to create a customized reusable bag that will help your customers out by filling their need for a reusable bag while also spreading the word about your brand.
Last June a ban on single-use plastic bags was passed in Los Angeles. Starting January 1, 2014 single-use plastic bags were banned from stores that sell perishable foods and make at least $2 million in gross annual sales or occupy at least 10,000 square feet of retail space within the City of Los Angeles. The ordinance also levies a 10-cent fee on paper bags and will extend to smaller stores on July 1, 2014. Stores that do not comply with the ban will be fined to encourage participation. The ban does not cover stores that do not carry groceries, such as department stores.
It turns out good things do not come to those who wait. For the folks in Mississauga, Ontario, one year after being directed to study the impact of a disposable plastic bag ban, the waste management committee ruled against implementing a ban. Reasons cited for not banning disposable plastic bags ranged from loss of single use plastic bag manufacturing jobs and possible legal troubles which was the case when nearby Toronto attempted to pass a ban. There is no talk of revisiting this issue although disposable plastic bag use is in check in Mississauga due to public outreach efforts and a 5-cent fee levied on single use bags.
How Do Bag Bans and Fees Impact Business? Single-use bag bans and fees do not have a significant impact on retail business and in fact, can actually lower costs. People need to purchase groceries and other goods regardless of a ban, so while there may be a period of adjustment switching to using reusable grocery bags and shopping bags, ultimately things will go on as normal.
As people are getting used to using reusable shopping bags for trips to the grocery store, single-use plastic bag bans are becoming more common in California and worldwide. There is typically some resistance to such measures, however, that does not appear to be the case in Santa Barbara County – in a recent poll of 40 North County residents in unincorporated areas, all of the people polled confirmed they were aware of similar bans and they had no problems with such bans.
In a highly followed and much-anticipated move, the European Union released the details of a plan that would give member countries the power to tax or even ban single-use plastic bags. Several member countries, like Denmark, Germany, and Italy have measures in place and this new initiative would make it easier for member countries without such laws to reduce or completely eliminate the consumption of disposable plastic bags without negatively impacting trade with fellow member countries.
There has been a lot of back and forth in Europe as individual countries have contemplated, and in some instances, passed single-use bag bans or fees intended to encourage shoppers to use reusable shopping bags. The European Union joined the fray and has teetered between indicating such bans were illegal when passed at the country level, while also indicating an interest in banning disposable plastic bags.
Cities and counties throughout the United States are banning disposable plastic bags or taking measures to reduce the use of these single-use bags. The objective is typically the same: reduce the negative impacts caused by single-use plastic bags by switching to reusable shopping bags. This switch with help with a slew of environmental problems from the destruction of animal habitats to the deterioration of the food chain and marring the natural beauty of the outdoors and resolution to these problems can require a hefty expense.
Last week we told you about how the EU is in favor of reusable shopping bags and considering a single-use bag ban. Now comes word that England passed a law that will levy a fee (roughly 8 cents USD) on all disposable plastic bags given out at stores. This fee is slated to go into action in the fall of 2015 and all of the money raised by the fee will go towards charities working on environmental damage cleanup.
The European Union (EU), an economic and political union of 28 countries located mostly in Europe, has been seriously contemplating whether to ban disposable plastic bags. Several countries that belong to the EU have already passed outright bans or implanted fees on single use bags (check out the bans at https://www.factorydirectpromos.com/plastic-bag-bans), but currently there is no law at the EU level. This issue has been researched and discussed, but the vote has been pushed back on numerous occasions leaving many wondering if a decision will ever be made.
It seems like just about every day there is another city or county contemplating reducing the use of disposable shopping bags through one measure or another. It is really exciting to see the different approaches and methods supporters take and it is even more exciting when all of the hard work pays off and plastic bag bans are implemented. However, everything doesn’t always go according to plan. Here is a rundown of three cities trying to find a way to make things work.
Unfortunately, plastic production is a big business. With several states passing laws allowing hydrofracking the door is wide open for more raw materials to create more environmentally harmful like disposable plastic shopping bags. When natural gas is pulled from underground shale deposits, it can be processed into polyethylene which can then be used to create a variety of plastics – including single-use plastic bags. But reusable shopping bags are still the better investment.
Plastic garbage in our oceans has been a known problem for many years, and a recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Superior researchers found plastic particles in the Great Lakes for the second year in a row. Plastic debris had previously been discovered in Lakes Superior, Huron, and Erie and this recent research uncovered plastic in Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario. “The accumulation of plastic particles is a great threat to our natural ecosystem and to the humans who use Lake Superior for our drinking water supply,” said Mary Balcer, director of the Lake Superior Research Institute at UW-Superior.