ASSEMBLY BILL 2058
ASSEMBLY FLOOR
MAY 22, 2008

Madam Chair and Members,

Before you today is Assembly Bill 2058.

This measure is aimed at substantially reducing the litter, waste and significant costs associated with the more than 20 billion single-use shopping bags generated in California annually.

This measure tracks and builds on the success of our AB 2449. AB 2449 has been successful in raising awareness of the problem; reducing plastic bag generation and increasing recycling. Based on both the success to date and limitations of that policy, it’s time to take the next bold step.

AB 2058 sets a reasonable, but aggressive benchmark of 70 percent waste reduction by 2011 for all single use grocery bags. This is the same bench mark recently adopted by Los Angeles County.

Failing to reach this benchmark, retailers would be required to pass the environmental cost of these single use bags on to consumers in the form of a 25 cent per bag fee.

Let me be clear—the objective of this policy is to collect zero dollars.

By incentivizing consumers to bring their own bag, we can effectively eliminate the single use plastic bag and all of the litter, waste and costs associated with it.

We can do this.

This is the same proven policy that has worked successfully in Ireland and elsewhere to reduce the generation and waste of plastic shopping bags by over 90 percent.

Single use plastic bags pose a serious environmental threat, and are a costly burden on consumers and local government. Plastics are the fastest growing component of California’s waste stream. When littered, they become a permanent plague on the environment, polluting our parkways and coastlines. Leaching toxins as they float through the watershed. In the marine environment, plastic threatens wildlife through entanglement and ingestion. Slowly degrading into fine particles, they pollute the marine food chain.

Equally important, the practice of providing consumers with so-called ‘free’ single use shopping bags is adding to the price of all of our grocery bills, whether we bring our own bag or not.

Single use grocery bags are costing California consumers more than $400 million dollars annually in higher grocery costs.

The costs to taxpayers in terms of litter clean up and waste management is even higher.

Retailers and bag manufacturers know this is coming. They are facing a patchwork of plastic bag bans across the state from communities that are fed up with the litter and costs associated with plastic bags.

Retailers recognize the need for a statewide solution to reduce single use bags.

Members, this measure proposes a reasonable and proven strategy for substantially reducing the environmental and economic costs to California of single use grocery bags. Transitioning to reusable bags represents the lowest cost alternative for consumers, retailers and the environment.

I urge your ‘aye’ vote.

California State Assembly Member Lloyd Levine (Van Nuys)