<Put on your letterhead. Feel free to amend. Fax to CAW (fx:916-443-3912) as Sen Approps does not post its fax #.>

<Today's Date>

Senator Tom Torlakson, Chair
Senate Appropriations Committee
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: AB 2058 (Levine) Plastic Bag Litter Reduction: Support

Dear Senator Torlakson:

<Organization> is in support of Assembly Bill 2058 by Lloyd Levine, which proposes to reduce plastic bag litter by requiring retailers who wish to continue to freely distribute plastic bags to meet a plastic bag reduction and recycling benchmark.

Plastic bag litter is a dangerous, costly and growing problem. Californians use an estimated 19 billion plastic bags annually, far too many of which are littered. Plastic bags have historically suffered from low recycling rates. Even when properly disposed of, plastic bags are often blown from receptacles and become litter. Because plastic bags are so lightweight and aerodynamic, they are quickly transported into the watershed.

Plastic bag litter is responsible for the deaths of thousands of birds, marine mammals, and endangered sea turtles which mistake them for food. Plastic bags essentially never biodegrade; instead they slowly photodegrade, attracting ambient toxins as they break into smaller pieces and overwhelming the local plankton food chain. In some of the worst affected areas of the Pacific, there is already 46 times more plastic than plankton by weight.

Local governments are incurring significant costs attempting to deal with plastic film litter. This is especially true of Southern California communities with impaired waterways that are required by US EPA Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for trash to reduce litter. One study conducted by San Francisco concluded that every plastic bag costs the city over 20 cents in hidden cleanup expenses.

Because of the costs and environmental dangers associated with plastic bags, San Francisco, Oakland and Fairfax have all decided to ban plastic bags from large stores. Los Angels County recently adopted a benchmark reduction program for unincorporated county retailers that require significant gains be made in plastic bag recycling or plastic bags will be banned. Dozens of other municipalities are currently considering similar measures.

AB 2058 would require extended producer responsibility for plastic bags by requiring high volume retailers that wish to continue freely handing out plastic bags to demonstrate significant reductions in plastic bag distribution and increases in plastic bag recycling. AB 2058 will augment creating a state-wide solution to the growing problem of plastic bags and will give local governments a powerful resource to reduce local plastic litter.  We respectfully urge your 'Aye' vote when AB 2058 is heard in Senate Appropriations Committee.

Sincerely,

<Signed>
<Name and Title>

c.c. Members, Senate Appropriations Committee