Inside California’s Plastic Bag War

Posted on October 25, 2016 by DrRossH in Plastic Limiting Regulations

How competing forces are shaping the debate over a statewide plastic bag ban – and what the …

Source: Inside California’s Plastic Bag War

Opposite the APBA is Yes on 67, a coalition of environmental groups, grocers, elected officials and consumer organizations who support the ban. Close to 14 billion plastic bags enter the California environment every year, the coalition says, and less than 2% of the bags are recycled. Municipal recyclers, many of whom are aligned with Yes on 67, claim the bags clog their machines and ruin their equipment. Additionally, the coalition argues that plastic bags clutter landscapes, pollute oceans and pose a deadly threat to wildlife. “Proposition 67 changes the question from paper or plastic to do you need a bag,” says Andy Keller, founder and CEO of California-based ChicoBag Company (asi/44811) and a vocal advocate for plastic bag reductions. “It helps people change habits and automatically reduces consumption.”

Cities and counties that banned plastic bags have reported significant reductions in litter and waste. In the first year of the ban taking effect, San Jose found that creek and river litter decreased by 76%, litter in storm drains reduced by 69%, and park and roadside litter dropped by 59%, according to the city’s transportation and environment committee.

The idea profits of 3 short sighted bag makers are more important than the millions of people in CA and the millions of wildlife there is totally unjustifiable.   These 3 companies need to move with new opportunities as they come up not fight legal battles to stay in the past.