BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a law prohibiting all plastic shopping bags at grocery store checkouts, making the state the first to impose such broad regulations. The new law, which goes into force in 2026, eliminates the choice of plastic bags completely. Customers who do not bring their own reusable bags will only be able to choose paper bags.
California has long been at the forefront of efforts to reduce plastic waste. In 2014, the state outlawed thin, single-use plastic bags, and since then buyers have been able to purchase larger, reusable plastic bags for a small price. However, these bags, which are designed to be recycled or reused, have not met their environmental objectives. A state analysis found that per-person plastic bag trash climbed from 8 pounds in 2004 to 11 pounds in 2021, underscoring the inadequacies of the previous ban.
“We are literally choking our planet with plastic waste,” said State Senator Catherine Blakespear, a prominent proponent of the new law. Blakespear, an Encinitas Democrat, stressed that earlier legislation, despite its intended goals, failed to cut plastic consumption successfully.
A step toward reducing pollution
The current prohibition, adopted by state legislators in September, closes the loopholes in the previous legislation by forbidding all plastic bags, regardless of thickness. Environmental organizations applauded the new bill for finally aligning California’s policies with the original objective of minimizing plastic pollution.
“Plastic bags create pollution in our environment and break into microplastics that contaminate our drinking water and threaten our health,” said Jenn Engstrom, director of the California Public Interest Research Group. Engstrom believes the new law fulfills the intent of the 2014 ban by eliminating plastic from grocery checkouts entirely.
Oceana, an environmental charity, also praised the action. “This law solidifies California as a leader in tackling the global plastic pollution crisis,” said Christy Leavitt, Oceana’s plastics campaign director. The organization emphasized how this restriction will safeguard California’s shoreline and marine life from the negative consequences of plastic garbage.
California’s role in national plastic reform
California isn’t alone in its attempts to reduce plastic pollution. Currently, 12 states, including California, have some type of statewide plastic bag ban, while hundreds of communities in 28 states have passed municipal restrictions. However, California’s entire ban on plastic bags is one of the most aggressive measures adopted by any US state.
The bill is especially significant since California is the most populated state in the country, and the environmental consequences could be far-reaching. In reality, it builds on a legacy of progressive environmental policy—as mayor of San Francisco, Governor Newsom approved the nation’s first plastic bag ban in 2007.
What happens next?
With the new regulation going into force in 2026, grocery businesses will have enough time to phase out their plastic bag inventory and convert completely to paper or reusable alternatives. Supporters of the ordinance hope that other states will follow suit and implement stronger measures to reduce plastic trash.
As the debate over plastic pollution heats up, there is increasing pressure on businesses and consumers to abandon plastic. The California Public Interest Research Group emphasized that banning plastic bags is only one step toward addressing the larger issue of single-use plastics, which continue to harm ecosystems and endanger human health.
The new plastic bag ban is an important development in California’s attempts to lessen its environmental impact and battle plastic waste. By going beyond partial steps and completely abolishing plastic supermarket bags, the state is taking serious action to conserve its natural resources.
