Californians will be voting on a bill that proposes the banning of single-use plastic carryout bags across the state.  If this bill passes, California will be the first state to ban single-use plastic bags.

Details on the ban
The bill proposing the plastic bag ban, Proposition 67, will be in the hands of Californians on November 8th.  In its first year, the ban proposes to eliminate single-use plastic bags from grocery stores and pharmacies.  In its second year, the ban will also affect plastic bags in convenience stores and liquor stores.

Proposition 67 is based on a bill that was first proposed in 2014.  The bill only includes the thinner single-use plastic bags.  Proposition 67 also outlines a 10 cent fee for heavier multi-use plastic bags and paper bags.  The money collected from these bags will be kept by stores to offset bag costs and provide information to customers about switching to reusable bags.  Additional monies will be used to support plastic bag manufacturers so they can retain jobs and transition to the production of thicker, multi-use, recyclable plastic bags only.  

The ban does have a few loopholes.  Single-use plastic bags will still be allowed for meats, breads, produce, bulk food and perishable items.  Customers enrolled in the California Special Supplemental Food Program will be exempt from the 10 cent fee on more durable plastic or paper bags.  

What other states are doing
Across the United States, plastic bag bans and fees have been both embraced and rejected.  Among the rejecters, Arizona, Missouri and Idaho have all passed state-level laws that prevent local governments from banning the use of plastic bags.  In Michigan, the House Committee on Commerce and Trade approved a plan to prohibit local governments from banning the use of plastic bags and from implementing fees on the bags. 

On the other hand, a number of states and cities have gotten on board with the environmentally friendly option of banning or charging for plastic bag use.  Washington, DC has already imposed a fee on single-use plastic bags.  In the states of New York, Delaware, Maine and Rhode Island, comprehensive recycling and reuse programs targeted at plastic bags are in use.  Across North Carolina, districts have implemented their own single-use plastic bag bans.  Most notably, the state of Hawaii is practically single-use bag free.  While an official statewide ban isn’t in place, all of the populous counties have banned non biodegradable plastic bags at all check outs.  Way to go, Hawaii!  

Why do we need to ban single-use plastic bags?
Single-use plastic bags are a major cause of pollution across the United States.  These bags are easily blown by the wind which can lead to them clogging storm drains.  Once in the water, these bags can be fatal to marine life.  They persist in the environment for decades as they don’t fully break down.  Instead, single-use plastic bags break into small pieces that contaminate the ecosystem. 

In addition, single-use plastic bags produce an alarming amount of greenhouse gas emissions during their production.  Ocean Conservancy reports that these bags are the most common item found at beach clean ups.  The University of New Hampshire conducted a study and found that over 100 billion plastic bags are used each year by Americans.  Unfortunately, the majority of these bags end up in landfills where they don’t ever biodegrade.  The university recommends a high tax on plastic bags to help curb consumer behavior.  

Those against the ban
Remarkably, there are people who are against the ban and passing of Proposition 67.  They believe that the environmental effects of plastic bag use are overblown and that supporters of the bill are using overly emotional arguments to plead their case. Jon Berrier, a spokesman for No on 67 and the American Progressive Bag Alliance, doesn’t believe that reusable bags are the answer.  Berrier says that reusable bags simply aren’t reused enough and that when not cleaned, they can spread disease.

Berrier also notes that single-use plastic bags support 25,000 manufacturing jobs across the United States and 2000 jobs in California alone.  He says that single-use bags are only responsible for 1% of ocean pollution. 

Those for the ban
Already 151 Californian communities have instituted their own plastic bag ban.  Steven Maviglio, a spokesman for Yes on 67, reports that Californians support the ban 2 to 1.  Californians Against Waste reveal that only 3% of single-use plastic bags are reused, meaning 97% end up in landfills or as pollution.  

As an amendment to Proposition 67, Proposition 65 supports the ban on single-use plastic bags but redirects the 10 cent fee from retailers and plastic manufacturers to environmental projects by the Wildlife Conservation Board.  According to Berrier, the 10 cent fee would result in millions of dollars of revenue for retailers.  He reports that 82% of Californians don’t think retailers should keep the plastic bag fees. 

So on November 8th, let’s watch as California makes history and becomes the first state to ban single-use plastic bags.