Recycling

Recycling Plastic bags; it’s the law in California

After many to ban or limit the use of plastic bags and to encourage reusable bags, Assemble Bill (AB) 2449 was adopted by the California legislature; the Governor signed the legislation on September 30, 2006 and became effective on July 1, 2007. Law preempts municipalities from charging a fee to use plastic bags.

Cities such as San Francisco and Malibu were successfully banned the use of plastic bags circumventing the law and without a court challenge. Others cities such as Oakland lost similar attempts at court. Much of the challenges were based on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). However, cities such as Manhattan Beach, Fairfax and Palo Alto were managed to save theirs with modifications.

As required by AB 2449, retailers are to take back plastic bags and recycle them, provide opportunities for reuse of bags, provide public education for recycling and label bags to promote recycling.

Subsequent attempt by AB 1998 to ban certain types of carryout plastic bags altogether, to impose a 5 cent charge on paper bags and to encourage reusable bags, lost in California Senate 14-21 on August 31, 2010.