Governor Gavin Newsom of California signed a new law on Sunday banning all plastic shopping bags, eliminating the choice between paper and plastic at grocery store checkout lines. The previous ban on thin plastic shopping bags only allowed thicker plastic bags that were supposed to be reusable and recyclable. Starting in 2026, consumers will no longer have the option to use any type of plastic bag.
State Senator Catherine Blakespear, a supporter of the bill, stated that people were not reusing or recycling plastic bags, leading to increased plastic waste. The bill aims to reduce plastic pollution and protect the environment. Environmental groups, including Oceana, praised Newsom for signing the bill and applauded California for taking a leadership role in addressing plastic pollution.
Twelve states, including California, already have statewide plastic bag bans, with hundreds of cities across the country implementing their own bans. The California Legislature initially passed a statewide plastic bag ban in 2014, which was later affirmed by voters in a 2016 referendum. The California Public Interest Research Group expressed satisfaction with the new law, stating that it aligns with the original intent of the plastic bag ban enacted nearly a decade ago.
Newsom, who as San Francisco’s mayor in 2007 signed the nation’s first plastic bag ban, continues to be at the forefront of environmental initiatives in California.
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