A motion to draft an ordinance that will decrease plastic bag distribution and littering--possibly through a plastic bag ban and a fee on paper bags--passed a San Jose City Council Committee this week.  Stephen Baxter of the San Jose Mercury News writes that after ten years of unsuccessfully trying to recycling plastic bags in their curbside programs, the City may be ready for a ban:

City environmental services officials said on May 5 that San Jose's trash contractors have struggled to clean used plastic bags and to find steady buyers for recycled bags since curbside plastic collection began 10 years ago. With a lack of buyers, they said that half of bags collected for recycling in the city end up in landfills, and the ones that are recycled often are chugged to Asian buyers by diesel ship.

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CAW and Plastic Bags:

• CAW supports the San Jose ordinance and is sponsoring AB 2058 (Levine), which would require retailers to divert 70% of plastic bags by 2011 or be forced to charge a 25 cent fee on plastic.
• More about Plastic Bags

AB 2058 (Levine) would require California retailers to demonstrate a 70% plastic bag recycling level by 2011 if they wish to continue freely distributing bags.

If the 70% recycling level is not met, retailers would be required to charge a 25 cent per-bag fee. The law also grants local governments increased authority to charge additional fees.

In order to ensure that AB 2058 will not substitute one type of disposable bag with another, AB 2058 would require retailers to charge an equal fee on paper bags by 2011.

AB 2058 must get out of Assembly Appropriations before it can be voted on by the full Assembly.

Additional Information:

• AB 2058 Language
• More About Plastic Bags

The City of Oakland is weighing its options after a judge issued a preliminary decision suspending their ban of plastic bags.

Read an Article in the SF Chronicle>>

At issue is whether the City of Oakland should have prepared a full environmental impact report (EIR) as part of the ordinance. No city has yet done such an analysis, though Los Angeles County plans to as part of its ordinance process.

The City must now decide whether to appeal the decision or fund the EIR.

CAW and Plastic Bags:

• Learn about AB 2058.
• Plastic Bag Pollution

A study by the British Marine Conservation Society has found that the amount of litter on Britain's beaches has increased by 120% since 1994. The majority of this waste is plastic.

Article and Video from the BBC>>

Article from UK Telegraph>>

In related news, the British government is considering requiring a 10 pence fee on plastic bottles, which could be refunded when recycled.

CAW and Marine Debris:

• CAW is sponsoring SB 1625 (Corbett), which will expand California's Container Recycling Law ("CRV") to include all plastic bottles, and other previously exempt categories.
• CAW is also sponsoring AB 2058 (Levine), which will require retailers reduce plastic bag distribution.