Governor Gavin Newsom has enacted a law banning all plastic bags whether single-use or recyclable. The 2024 law is regarded as a positive approach to correct the deficiencies inherent to the original statewide ban on plastic bags enacted in 2014 and affirmed by voters in a 2016 referendum.

State Senator Catherine Blakespear noted that, “The quantity of plastic shopping bags trashed grew from 8 pounds per capita in 2004 to 11 pounds in 2021with negligible recycling.

Following passage of the bill, consumers will either have to bring their own reusable bags to supermarkets or accept paper bags, possibly with a cost.

A spokesperson for the California Public Interest Research Group noted, “Plastic bags create pollution in our environment and degrade into microplastics that contaminate our drinking water and pose a threat to health.”  He added, “With the Governor’s signature, California has finally banned plastic bags in grocery checkout lanes.”

California is regarded as a leader in environmental issues, and it is evident that this initiative involving an absolute ban will be followed by other states.  At the current time, twelve states have imposed bans of some form on plastic bags in addition to numerous cities that have enacted local ordinances against single-use plastic containers.