Plastic bags are being banned in various cities across the United States Many of these cities are in California, which include San Francisco and Malibu. Plastic bags are looked down upon due to their impact on the planet, including being mistaken for food by many marine and bird species leading to millions of deaths per year.
In addition, it is estimated that a plastic bag will take 1,000 or more years to break down in the environment. While breaking down, the bags emit toxic chemicals into the environment further impacting the world around them. Plastic bags also often clog waterways, landfills and end up carried by the wind miles away.
Due to this and a plethora of other reasons, many cities have turned to banning the bags. However, the State of California may become the first state to ban the bags altogether. The California Assembly recently passed a bill which would ban plastic bags and will be debated in the State Senate in order to officially become law. The bill has both the California Grocers Association and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s support.
The ban would include all disposable carryout bags, which includes paper bags with less than forty percent recycled material. The ban, however, would not cover plastic bags without handles, such as those used in the produce section. The bill, if passed by the Senate, would allow for paper bags to be sold to customers for at least 5 cents each. The bags, as previously mentioned, would be required to have at least forty percent recycled material.
The bill would include all grocery stores, pharmacies, liquor and convenience stores. If passed, the bill would be enacted on January 1, 2012 for all supermarkets and also for retailers which are more than 10,000 square feet and contain a pharmacy. As of July 1, 2013, the ban would then apply to all retailers, convenience stores etcetera.
