A POPULAR US state has set out to restrict the use of a common household item in all retailers, and those who do not follow suit will face hefty fines.
The West Coast state will soon tighten its restrictions on the use of plastic bags in retailers, with enforcement set to begin in just months.
GettyGrocery shoppers in a key state will soon see even stricter regulations on plastic bag use[/caption]US consumers use roughly 100 billion plastic bags annually, or about 300 per person per year, according to data from Environment America.
Worldwide plastic bag use is estimated at five trillion per year, or an astounding 160,000 each second, per Beyond Plastics.
Made of chemicals and fossil fuels, these plastic bags largely go unrecycled and wreak havoc on the environment.
They do not decompose but instead break up into tiny particles that contaminate our drinking water, food, and soil, and even the human body.
Retailers are the main culprits of plastic bag use, but many states are taking strides to cut back on single-use plastics.
For example, California is becoming more stringent with its regulations on carry out plastic bags for shoppers, per the state’s official website.
Currently most grocery stores, retail stores with a pharmacy, convenience stores, food marts, and liquor stores in The Golden State can sell reusable plastic bags made with recycled content or recycled paper bags at checkout.
However, beginning on January 1, 2026, these retailers will only be permitted to distribute recycled carryout paper bags at:
Checkout counters Self-checkout kiosks In-store pickup Curbside delivery Home deliveryAccording to the new law, these stores must charge at least ten cents per bag, although they cannot require shoppers to purchase a bag.
California retailers are required to provide a reusable grocery bag or a recycled paper bag for free to shoppers using a WIC payment card or voucher or an EBT card to pay.
The retailers will keep the cash they make from selling the recycled paper bags and must use it to cover the cost of the bags, compliance with the bag ban, and related educational materials.
Store or producers of reusable grocery bags that violate the bag ban may face a $1,000 fine each day for the first violation, $2,000 daily for the second violation, and $5,000 per day for the third and following violations.
As retailers in California will soon be required to ditch plastic bags in favor of paper bags, they will also face greater restrictions on the paper bags in the coming years.
Starting on January 1, 2028, the recycled paper bags available at stores must contain a minimum of 50% post consumer recycled materials.
BAGGING IT
California was the first state to implement a single-use plastic bag ban at retailers in 2016.
As a result, shoppers in California were unable to receive plastic carryout bags from most retailers in the state.
At the start of this year, The Golden State placed new restrictions on the types of pre-checkout bags stores could offer.
Which states have single-use plastic bag bans?
Several states have enforced strict rules against retailer handing out these bags to shoppers.
California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Hawaii Maine New Jersey New York Oregon Rhode Island Vermont WashingtonSource: World Economic Forum
These bags are provided to shoppers before checkout for unpackaged items such as bulk foods or loose produce.
As of January 1, 2025, only pre-checkout bags that are compostable or recycled paper bags were permitted.
Once the new law forcing California retailers to distribute solely paper bags rolls out in 2026, stores in the West Coast state will officially become plastic-free.
Eleven states other than California have single-use plastic bag bans, and another state is considering joining the list.
Meanwhile, another US state is expanding its law banning plastic bags in grocery stores, forcing shoppers to find an alternative.
GettyCalifornia is one of several US states that has banned single-use plastics[/caption] Read More Details
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