Wednesday February 08, 2012

Hot Issues

Campaign to End Single-Use Plastic Bags

Now is the time to act. Plastic bags are costing your jurisdiction and other local and state agencies millions each year in cleanup costs alone. Despite their lightweight and compact characteristics, plastic bags disproportionately impact the solid waste and recycling stream and persist in the environment even after they have broken down.

In California, 14 billion plastic bags are distributed annually, and only 3% are recycled. Plastic bag ordinances currently cover 16 percent of the state’s population.

Local governments, who are primarily responsible for the cleanup of plastic litter in clogged stormwater systems and polluted waterways, should move ahead with local bag ordinances immediately. Not sure where to start? Check out our Bag Ban Tool Kit.

With the recent Supreme Court decision that the City of Manhattan Beach does not need an environmental impact report (EIR) to enact its plastic bag ordinance, the door has been opened for other local jurisdictions to move forward with their own bans.

Plastic Bag News:

NEW! Jan 25 -CA Update: 39 Cities and Counties Have Local Bag Bans

Dec 16 - LA City Committed to Banning Single-Use Plastic Bags

Oct 19 - Santa Cruz County's Ordinance Challenged

Oct 3 - Big Plastic Suing LA County's Bag Ordinance 

Sept 27 - Marin Superior Court Ruling on Marin County Bag Ordinance

Jul 14 - Supreme Court Ruling on Manhattan Beach Bag Ordinance

Links to All Latest Plastic Bag News Articles

 

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Take Action

Take Action On Single-Use Plastic Bag and Polystyrene Ordinances

The problem of plastic litter is only growing. Plastic is the fastest-growing component of the waste stream, and plastic pollution like Styrofoam and single-use bags are among the most commonly found items during beach and coastal cleanups.  Because plastic essentially never biodegrades, once littered plastic becomes a permanent environmental problem.

The solution is clear: highly-littered plastic items like plastic bags and polystyrene food packaging need to be banned. Californians should reduce their use of disposable packaging. Find out more about our Campaign to End Single Use Plastic Bags and other plastic litter.

Take action by sending in a support letter or signing a petition urging jurisdictions to move forward with ordinances restricting single-use plastic.

 

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Our Top Priority Legislation

AB 341 (Chesbro) - Jobs and Recycling

Summary. AB 341 would create green jobs by expanding recycling to every multi-family dwelling and business and would charge CalRecycle with the responsibility for ensuring that the state is recycling at least 75% of the garbage that it generates by 2020.

Position and Status.

CAW Supports.

UPDATE! Governor Brown Signed AB 341!

SB 567 (DeSaulnier) - Truthful Environmental Advertising in Plastics

Summary. SB 567 expands the scope of current plastic end-of-life claim labeling requirements from bags and food packaging to all plastic products.

Position and Status.

CAW Supports.

UPDATE: Governor Brown signed SB 567!

AB 1149 (Gordon and Wieckowski) - Recycled Plastic Market Development

Summary. AB 1149 would extend a January 1, 2012 sunset for the Plastic Market Development program to continue investment in California’s plastics recycling and manufacturing infrastructure. It would also authorize CalRecycle to ‘reinvest’ up to 50% of savings from an anticipated drop in PET processing fee offsets back into Plastic Market Development Payments.

Position and Status. CAW-sponsored.

UPDATE: Governor Brown Signed AB 1149!

 

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Californians Against Waste is recognized as one of the nation's leading non-profit environmental research and advocacy organizations focusing on resource conservation and pollution prevention through waste reduction and recycling. The organization's 34 year history and track record of accomplishments has demonstrated it to be principled, practical, creative and effective. Find out more about CAW.

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