In the future, “paper or plastic” will no longer be a choice for California consumers when shopping at the grocery store. The Associated Press reported on September 23 , California Governor Newsom has signed a new law banning the use of plastic shopping bags in supermarkets and grocery stores, which will go into effect from 2026 onwards. California actually passed a ban on plastic bags back in 2014, reportedly banning the provision of thin plastic bags in consumer establishments such as supermarkets, but allowing sellers to provide thicker plastic bags that are supposedly recyclable or reusable. However, environmentalists say that few people recycle or reuse these plastic bags. The California Public Interest Research Group says the new law finally fulfills the original intent of the ban, which was to ban all plastic. A state senator who supports the new law reportedly said a study found that the number of plastic shopping bags discarded per person has increased from 3.6 kilograms per year in 2004 to 5 kilograms per year in 2021, suggesting that an incomplete “plastic restriction” would do nothing to cut down on the haphazard use and pollution of plastic bags. The head of an environmental organization also voiced support for the new law, saying that the new ban “solidifies California's leadership in addressing the global plastic pollution crisis.” According to another environmental group, 12 states, including California, now have statewide bans restricting the use of certain types of plastic bags. Hundreds of cities in 28 states across the U.S. have also introduced their own plastic bag bans. The report also mentions that Newsom signed the first U.S. plastic bag ban in 2007 when he was mayor of San Francisco.
