CA Gov Signs Plastic Bag Ban Into Law

To no one’s surprise, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law on Sunday a ban on all plastic shopping bags at grocery stores. SB 1053 will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. You can, of course, bring your own plastic bags, but stores will only provide paper bags after that date.

Closing a plastic bag ban loophole

California, you may recall, was the first state in the nation to enact a ban on single-use plastic bags back in 2014. That law had a loophole, however: It made an exception for thicker high-density polyethylene bags that were considered reusable and met certain recyclability standards. The result? The tonnage of discarded plastic bags increased 47% between 2014, when the law was passed, and 2022, according to various environmental advocacy groups. The new law is designed to close that loophole.

While the new all-encompassing ban has been applauded by those groups and, truth be told, has appeal among the broader population, it has been denounced by various business groups and industry associations.

Law undercuts recycling efforts

The Responsible Recycling Alliance, a coalition of three California-based recyclers and manufacturers, said the law undercuts progress made in the state’s recycling infrastructure, supported by SB 270 that went into effect in 2016. The alliance also points out that paper bags consume more water and energy in the manufacturing and recycling processes.

Related:California Bans Single-use Plastic Bags. Again

Over on X, there was quite a bit of grumbling, as well.

Several users noted that they were far more concerned by the homeless problem and some of the behavior associated with it. And there are parts of town in Los Angeles that are swimming in trash, plastic and otherwise, as @TheSouthGAJohn pointed out. In response to an AP report on the ban, he posted a picture of a trash-strewn vacant lot, which may or may not be in California, with the comment, “No plastic bags will really clean up California.”