An anonymous reader shared a report. When the California State Legislature passed a law banning single-use plastic bags in 2014, the hope was that it would significantly reduce the amount of plastic thrown away. But fast forward nearly a decade, and Californians are tossing more pounds of plastic bags than before this bill was passed. This means that by 2022, the tonnage of bags discarded will increase from 4.08 tonnes per 1,000 people in 2014 to 4.08 tonnes per 1,000 people in 2014, according to a recent report from consumer advocacy group CALPIRG. It was found that the amount increased to 5.89 tons per 1,000 people. Why does this happen?
As Suzanne Last reported this week, plastic bag manufacturers have replaced one type of plastic bag with another. You've probably found it at the grocery store or in your car during a drive-up order. These new bags are thicker and meet a technical specification called “reusable.” Jen Engstrom, CALPIRG's state director, explained to Suzanne that the switch created a loophole because the new bags (usually costing 10 cents) were “obviously not being recycled; Because it doesn't look like an available bag and…it's just circumventing the intent of the law. ” The pandemic was also a factor. Coronavirus restrictions have meant that groceries, restaurant food and other items are often delivered to your door in thick plastic bags.
However, efforts are being made to close loopholes. New laws have also been proposed that would ban the use of thick plastic bags in grocery stores and big box stores. It's clear that not enough consumers have changed their habits of using plastic bags at the checkout. However, the responsibility does not lie with the individual. Plastic manufacturers create these products. The company buys the bags so customers have a place to put the items they purchase from the company. […] Under the new law, at least 30% of plastic products sold, distributed or imported in California must be recyclable by January 1, 2028. It also stipulates that single-use plastic waste will be reduced by 25% by 2032. , plastics companies will have significant oversight and authority over the program “through a Producer Responsibility Mechanism comprised of industry representatives.”
