California has officially eliminated plastic shopping bags. On Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law prohibiting their use at grocery store checkout lines.
California previously banned thin plastic shopping bags, but shoppers could still buy thicker, supposedly reusable and recyclable bags. Starting 2026, California will ban all plastic shopping bags. Customers who don't bring their own reusable bags will be offered paper bags instead.
California Takes A Stand: Banning Single-Use Plastic Bags
State Senator Catherine Blakespear, a bill supporter, argued that people should reuse or recycle plastic bags. She cited a state study showing that the amount of plastic shopping bags discarded per person increased from 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) per year in 2004 to 11 pounds (5 kilograms) per year in 2021.
Blakespear, a Democrat, stated in February that the previous bag ban, enacted ten years ago, failed to decrease the overall use of plastic. "We are literally choking our planet with plastic waste," she said. This aligns with the calls from ocean experts for sustainable shopping practices to combat global warming.
Oceana, an environmental nonprofit, praised Newsom for signing the bill, which they believe will protect California's coastline, marine life, and communities from single-use plastic grocery bags. A 2023 report found that 10,000 microplastic fibres were present in 25 marine animals examined.
On Sunday, Christy Leavitt, Oceana's plastics campaign director, stated that the new ban on single-use plastic bags at grocery store checkouts cements California's position as a leader in addressing the global plastic pollution crisis.
According to the environmental advocacy group Environment America Research & Policy Center, twelve states, including California, have implemented statewide plastic bag bans. Hundreds of cities in 28 states have also enacted plastic bag bans.
The California Legislature approved a statewide ban on plastic bags in 2014, which voters ratified in a 2016 referendum. The California Public Interest Research Group declared on Sunday that the new law finally fulfils the original intent of the bag ban.
In addition to taking a significant step towards reducing plastic waste with the statewide ban on single-use shopping bags, California is taking legal action against ExxonMobil for allegedly misleading the public about plastic recycling.
California Sues ExxonMobil For Plastic Recycling Deception
California's attorney general filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil on Monday, accusing the company of decades-long deception. The lawsuit alleges that ExxonMobil misled consumers by promoting recycling as a solution for plastic waste, even though the company knew that plastic would be difficult to eliminate and that many recycling methods were ineffective.
Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that ExxonMobil violated state regulations regarding water pollution and misleading marketing. "Exxon Mobil knew that 95% of the plastic in the blue bin was going to be incinerated, go into the environment or go into a landfill," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in an interview. "They knew, and they lied."
In response to the lawsuit, ExxonMobil claimed that advanced recycling, which uses chemicals or heat to break down plastic into its essential components for potential reuse, is compelling. The company stated that it has diverted over 60 million pounds of plastic waste from landfills through this method.
"For decades, California officials have known their recycling system isn't effective. They failed to act, and now they seek to blame others. Instead of suing us, they could have worked with us to fix the problem," ExxonMobil said.
The lawsuit is a new legal approach to holding fossil fuel companies accountable for pollution and their aggressive marketing tactics. Also, State attorneys general and environmental nonprofits have sued oil and gas companies for their role in climate change and extreme weather, citing their carbon pollution.
According to the attorney general, the new lawsuit, a first of its kind, will focus on the environmental impact of plastics, including microplastics. The State is seeking a jury trial, civil penalties, and a significant portion of ExxonMobil's profits to fund environmental remediation.
Environmental groups have expressed their support for the lawsuit. "This is the big one. I hope this is going to open the floodgates," said Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics, a nationwide project seeking to end plastic pollution.
ExxonMobil, the world's largest producer of fossil fuel-derived single-use plastics, has been accused of decades-long efforts to promote these products through industry groups, advertising, and marketing initiatives, including using the Boy Scouts for fundraising.
Overall, California is leading the charge against plastic pollution. The State is banning plastic bags and suing companies responsible for plastic waste, setting a precedent for other states and countries.
