California, US, governor Gavin Newsom signed a law yesterday (22 September) to phase out plastic shopping bags at grocery store checkouts from 2026.  

Passed by state legislators last month, the new measure mandates a complete ban on all plastic shopping bags, encouraging consumers to either bring their own reusable bags or opt for paper bags.  

State senator Catherine Blakespear, a proponent of the bill, highlighted the failure of consumers to reuse or recycle plastic bags, citing a state study that showed a significant increase in per capita plastic bag waste over the years. 

Oceana, an environmental nonprofit, has welcomed this move, which it believes will protect California's coastline and marine life from the hazards of single-use plastic grocery bags.  

Oceana plastics campaign director Christy Leavitt said: "The new ban on single-use plastic bags at grocery store checkouts solidifies California as a leader in tackling the global plastic pollution crisis." 

The move by California adds to the growing number of US states with similar bans, with Environment America Research & Policy Center noting that 12 of 50 states now have statewide plastic bag prohibitions, and numerous cities across 28 states have enacted their own bans. 

The new law addresses the shortcomings of the 2014 legislation in California, which allowed consumers to buy thicker plastic bags that supposedly made them recyclable and reusable, reported the Associated Press.  

However, these thicker bags have not been widely reused, with a recent survey by the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) revealing that only 2% of respondents brought back a thick plastic bag to reuse. 

CALPIRG is a group dedicated to improving the health, safety, and well-being of Californians.  

According to the group, thicker plastic bags are also not accepted by municipal recycling facilities in California. 

The new law aims to resolve this issue by eliminating all plastic bags at checkout, aligning with the original intent of the 2014 bag ban. 

CALPIRG state director Jenn Engstrom said: “Plastic bags create pollution in our environment and break into microplastics that contaminate our drinking water and threaten our health. 

"Californians voted to ban plastic grocery bags in our state almost a decade ago, but the law clearly needed a redo. With the governor’s signature, California has finally banned plastic bags in grocery checkout lanes once and for all.” 

Earlier this month, the Responsible Recycling Alliance expressed its disappointment over the California legislature’s decision to pass bills banning reusable and recyclable plastic film grocery bags.