All Californians may soon be joining the environmentally-conscious in carrying their groceries in reusable bags if Assembly Bill 1998, a statewide single-use bag ban, is passed.

AB 1998, written by Assemblywoman Julia Brownley and introduced in February, passed off the Assembly floor on June 2 with a 42-27 vote. The bill would prohibit stores from handing out single-use bags -- which it defines as any bag made for fewer than 100 uses regardless of the material -- and require people to carry their groceries in the reusable bags that are already for sale for around $1 in most stores. Bags with company logos are often given away for free at events as an advertising strategy.

Similar regulations have been adopted in many California cities, including San Francisco, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Fairfax and Palo Alto.

The statewide bag ban has the support of many environmental groups, including Heal the Bay, Californians Against Waste, Defenders of Wildlife, California Coastal Coalition and the Sierra Club California.

“Plastic bags litter our land and ocean, injure and kill marine life and cost Californians $25 million a year to clean up,” reads an excerpt from Assemblywoman Brownley’s website. But it’s not a matter of paper or plastic, as the description explains; paper bags also harm the environment, as they contribute to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

Obvious opposition to the bill comes from groups like the American Forest and Paper Association and American Chemistry Council, a Virginia-based company that represents the plastic industry. These groups promote an emphasis on recycling rather than banning the bags altogether. Other opposition comes from people concerned about the cost of reusable bags.

The bill passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 28 with a 11-5 vote, and will next be heard in a Senate policy committee.

                                        

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