How will Mexicans get to America if plastic bags are illegal?
Posted on 05/28/2010 3:56:00 PM PDT by KingofZion
Legislation that would ban many California stores from giving away single-use plastic bags has taken a step closer to becoming law. AB 1998 was passed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Friday and will be voted upon next Friday by the full Assembly. If passed and signed by the governor, the law would go into effect Jan. 1, 2012.
Each year, Californians use 19 billion plastic bags, only 5% of which are recycled, according to the California Integrated Waste Management Board. The average California resident uses 600 plastic bags per year.
"This legislation starts breaking our addiction to single-use plastic packaging, which has gotten completely out of control," said Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay, a Santa Monica-based environmental group supporting AB 1998.
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Over the past couple of years, numerous California cities have proposed plastic-bag bans; five cities have passed them, including Malibu and San Francisco.
Uniformity is the main reason the California Grocers Assn. is supporting the bill.
"There have been a number of different proposals and different cities have approached this in different ways," said Dave Heylen, spokesman for the California Grocers Assn. in Sacramento, a group that represents 500 retail grocery companies that operate 8,000 stores in California. "This bill would impact supermarkets, chain pharmacies, local neighborhood markets, convenience stores and liquor stores, so this bill provides a uniform statewide standard to help level the playing field among food retailers."
Heylen added that single-use, carry-out bags bring the most environmental gain with the least competitive disruption for retailers.
"We think this could be historic legislation that is a model for other states to follow," said Gina Goodhill, oceans advocate for the L.A.-based environmental group, Environment California.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
I use them for cat litter!
We mostly bring our own bags already to the stores (in AZ), but I do like getting a slew of the plastic ones here and there, because of our multiple cats. We have bought the ones in bulk before, but I don’t like those as well, too hard to open.
I think that it’s about high time that we ban California.
It seems that the Adults that live there have lost any control that they once held.
What about condoms?
How will Mexicans get to America if plastic bags are illegal?
We only need to ban CA condoms.
Great idea! The state is in debt up to its you-know-what and instead of cutting costs, they’re passing silly laws banning plastic bags.
California continues to fulfill its purpose in showing other states what NOT to do.
No, then there will be more Californians
The cities in CA that tax these bags won’t be happy. hahahaha.
Why do people still live in CA anyways?
Yep, I do the same thing. I take my lunch in a plastic bag, which does double duty as a garbage bag after I’m done eating. No mess, and no cleaning up to do afterwards.
We recycle or reuse all our plastic bags. I recently collected plastic bags to reuse to contain takeout orders from our church bazaar. And by using cloth bags, we use plastic bags a lot less than we did (except for around church bazaar time). But reusable cloth bags tend to become contaminated with bacteria, so there is a downside to everything.
This is yet another case where government should leave us (and merchants) alone, except to provide recycling facilities. We’re more capable of making informed decisions than ideology-driven bureaucrats!!!!
Me too! Also, what about the plastic bags to put your produce in? Are you supposed to put wet lettuce and celery in a paper bag??
Pelosi, Boxer and Feinstein flee to Mexico for sanctuary
Mexican samsonite. Don’t let them go home without it.
These idiots need to make room in the landfills for all plastic contractors are required to throw away to capture a few lead dust particles. And this is the 10mil plastic not the thin bags the stores give out that won’t hold a can of peas.
The EPA has mandated that we use huge volumes of plastic to remove a single window. We are subject to fines up to $35,750.00 per day. That’s not a typo friends.
Since they are going after the plastic bags, we’ll have nothing to put the dog poop in.
So sorry neighbor, the stuff is biodegradable. And the government just outlawed the plastic baggie I USED TO USE when I picked it up from your yard.
Sorry.
The last time I visited CA I had the impression that I had crossed a time-warp and landed in 1930s fascist Germany.
My impression, it seems, was correct.
I’m in the process of doing route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica.
Along the way I’m gonna buy plastic bags an take them with me.
Am I a criminal?
L.A. county jail?
Grocery stores break down all their boxes.
I basically buy groceries once a month- how do they think I am going to get $300 worth of groceries home?
Are they going to start saving their boxes like Costco does?
Grocers are just looking for a way to not lose out to competition.
What next back to paper?
Wonderful!!! I use these things to wrap up my kid’s dirty diapers.”””
I am pretty sure that folks pick up their doggie droppings with these bags, also.
Are there some unintended consequences in this law>??
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