Sofia Martinez
California has been at the forefront of the movement to ban single-use plastic bags, with multiple cities and counties in the state implementing such bans. In 2014, California became the first state to pass a plastic bag ban, and in 2016, Proposition 67, a ballot proposition to uphold the state's single-use plastic bag ban, passed with 53% of the vote. This proposition was a referendum on Senate Bill 270, which bans plastic shopping bags and charges a fee for other types of bags. The passage of Proposition 67 extended the ban to the entire state, with the goal of reducing plastic pollution and its negative environmental impacts. Despite opposition from the plastic bag industry, California's efforts have inspired similar bans in other states and cities across the country.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Proposition | Proposition 67 |
| Date of Vote | November 8, 2016 |
| Result | Passed with 53% of the vote |
| Affected Legislation | Senate Bill 270 |
| Affected Stores | Grocery stores, retail stores with a pharmacy, convenience stores, food marts, liquor stores |
| Bag Requirements | Reusable, made from certified producers, printed with a statement of reusability, made with a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled material, at least 2.25 mils thick |
| Bag Charges | Minimum of 10 cents per bag |
| Fines | $1,000 per day for the first violation, $2,000 per day for the second violation, $5,000 per day for the third and subsequent violations |
| Related Proposition | Proposition 65, defeated |
| Related Legislation | Senate Bill 1053 and Assembly Bill 2236 |
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What You'll Learn
- California's Proposition 67 passed with 53% of the vote
- The proposition bans single-use plastic bags
- Stores must charge at least 10 cents for other bag types
- Proposition 65, to allocate revenue from bag sales to environmental projects, failed
- The plastic bag industry spent millions to try to defeat Proposition 67
California's Proposition 67 passed with 53% of the vote
California's Proposition 67, a ballot proposition on the November 8, 2016, ballot, passed with 53% of the vote. The proposition was a referendum on the state law (Senate Bill 270), which bans plastic shopping bags. With the passage of Proposition 67, the Senate Bill went into full effect. The bill prohibits certain stores from providing customers with plastic single-use bags and charges a minimum of $0.10 for other types of bags, such as recycled paper bags or reusable bags. The proposition addresses equity issues by requiring stores to provide a reusable bag free of charge to recipients of food assistance or specific welfare programs.
Proposition 67 faced opposition from the plastic bag industry, which spent millions of dollars in a campaign to defeat it. However, the proposition was supported by a diverse coalition of over 500 organizations, including environmental and business groups, cities, counties, and newspapers. The passing of Proposition 67 was seen as a significant environmental victory, reducing plastic pollution and protecting California's ocean, coast, and marine wildlife.
The proposition specifically targeted single-use plastic bags, which are inexpensive to produce and effective for consumers, but challenging to recycle. Local governments and recycling companies must decide how to handle their disposal, and it is expensive to recycle the type of plastic used in these bags effectively. Single-use plastic bags are also one of the most common forms of litter, creating environmental problems on land and in water.
The passage of Proposition 67 unified state law throughout California, as multiple cities and counties had already implemented similar laws. More than 40% of California communities were already living without plastic shopping bags through local ordinances before the proposition's passage. The proposition also had relatively small fiscal effects on state and local governments, with potential cost savings in reduced cleanup or waste management costs.
Overall, California's Proposition 67, which passed with 53% of the vote, was a significant step towards reducing plastic waste and protecting the environment in California. It faced opposition from the plastic bag industry but was supported by a wide range of organizations and communities. The proposition's passage led to a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, addressing environmental concerns and unifying state law on this issue.
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The proposition bans single-use plastic bags
California has a single-use carryout bag ban, SB 270, which came into effect following the passing of Proposition 67 in 2016. The proposition bans single-use plastic bags and prohibits grocery and other stores from providing customers with single-use plastic or paper carryout bags. Stores may sell reusable plastic bags made with recycled content or recycled paper bags for a minimum surcharge of 10 cents per bag. Stores are not allowed to require customers to purchase a bag.
The passing of Proposition 67 upholds and extends the ban on single-use plastic bags to the remainder of the state, as more than 151 California communities already had local plastic bag bans in place. The proposition addresses any problems that arise in equity by requiring stores to provide a reusable bag free of charge to recipients of food assistance, EBT, WIC, or food vouchers. Pharmacies are also required to provide bags containing prescribed medication.
The proposition also sets out requirements for reusable grocery bags. These bags must be made by producers certified by a third-party certification entity to sell reusable grocery bags in California. The certification must include verification of the required percentage of post-consumer recycled material content. Bag producers must resubmit proofs of certification every two years.
The passing of Proposition 67 was a significant environmental victory for California, as it will reduce plastic pollution, protect the ocean and wildlife, and reduce cleanup costs.
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Stores must charge at least 10 cents for other bag types
California has been at the forefront of the movement to ban plastic shopping bags, becoming the first state in the nation to do so. Proposition 67, the referendum on the state law (Senate Bill 270), was passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September 2014. The bill prohibits certain stores from providing customers with plastic single-use bags and charges a minimum of $0.10 for other types of bags. These requirements apply only in areas that did not already have single-use carryout bag laws at the time.
The passing of Proposition 67 was a significant environmental victory, as it addressed the problem of plastic pollution and protected California's ocean, coast, and marine wildlife. It also unified state law throughout California, as multiple cities and counties in the state had already implemented similar laws. The proposition set out to reduce litter, protect wildlife, and reduce cleanup costs. Single-use plastic bags are one of the most common forms of litter and create environmental problems both on land and in water.
Proposition 67 allows stores to sell reusable plastic bags made with recycled content or recycled paper bags, with a minimum surcharge of 10 cents per bag. Stores that do not implement a charge will be required to charge a minimum of 10 cents for a single plastic bag. The stores that sell bags keep the money and must use it to cover costs and education. It is important to note that stores cannot require customers to purchase a bag and must provide a reusable bag free of charge to customers using welfare payment cards, vouchers, or benefit transfer cards.
The passage of Proposition 67 was a victory for grass-roots movements, as the Yes campaign was outspent by a significant margin by the plastic bag industry, which spent millions of dollars to defeat the measure. Despite this, Californians stood together and prevailed, sending a powerful message to out-of-state plastic bag manufacturers that California's environmental protections are not for sale.
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Proposition 65, to allocate revenue from bag sales to environmental projects, failed
California has been at the forefront of the movement to ban plastic bags. In 2014, the California governor approved Senate Bill 270, which prohibited certain stores from providing customers with plastic single-use bags and mandated a $0.10 charge for other types of bags. However, this law was challenged by the plastic bag industry, which spent millions of dollars to defeat it.
In 2016, California Proposition 67 was introduced as a referendum to uphold Senate Bill 270 and extend the ban to the remainder of the state. Proposition 67 passed with 53% of the vote, despite the plastic bag industry's efforts to defeat it. This victory was celebrated as a significant environmental win, sending a message that California's environmental protections are not for sale.
However, Proposition 65, another measure on the same ballot, failed to pass. Proposition 65 aimed to allocate revenue from the sale of disposable carryout bags to environmental projects in California. Specifically, the initiative proposed using proceeds from plastic bag sales in grocery stores for this purpose. Despite its environmental focus, Proposition 65 failed to gain support, receiving 54.8% "No" votes.
The failure of Proposition 65 resulted in the revenue from the state-mandated sale of carryout bags going to stores to cover costs and education. If Proposition 65 had passed, it would have created a statewide single-use bag ban, and the revenue would have been directed into an environmental fund.
The debate around Proposition 65 highlights the complexities of implementing environmental initiatives. While California took a significant step forward with the passage of Proposition 67, the failure of Proposition 65 demonstrates the challenges of allocating resources for environmental projects and the ongoing influence of the plastic bag industry.
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The plastic bag industry spent millions to try to defeat Proposition 67
In 2014, California lawmakers passed a bill to ban thin plastic grocery bags and charge shoppers for paper or heavy-duty plastic bags. The bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. However, the plastic bag industry was strongly opposed to this legislation and mounted a vigorous fightback. The American Progressive Bag Alliance (APBA), a group representing the plastic bag industry, led the campaign against Proposition 67, which was a ballot proposition aimed at upholding the 2014 ban.
The APBA and other industry groups spent millions of dollars on their campaign, including paying signature gatherers hundreds of thousands of dollars to collect over 800,000 unverified signatures for Proposition 67. They also contributed significantly to the "No on 67" committee, which raised nearly twice as much money as the "Yes on 67" campaign. The industry argued that the bag ban amounted to an "involuntary transfer of wealth from customers' wallets to big grocers" and that any charges for bags should go to a public purpose instead of increasing grocers' profits.
The plastic bag industry's efforts to defeat Proposition 67 were motivated by their desire to protect their profits from the sale of single-use plastic bags. They also wanted to prevent California from setting a precedent for other states and countries to follow suit, which would have a significant impact on global plastic pollution. However, despite the industry's substantial investment in the campaign, Proposition 67 ultimately passed with 53% of the vote.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Proposition 67 passed with 53% of the vote.
The proposition bans grocery and other stores from providing customers with single-use plastic or paper carryout bags. Stores may sell recycled paper bags and reusable bags for a minimum surcharge of 10 cents per bag.
The proposition unified state law throughout California, as multiple cities and counties had already implemented similar laws. It also reduced the flow of plastic waste into the environment and reduced cleanup costs.
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