Plastic Bag Recycling Program
California Law AB 2449 Makes it Easier to Recycle Grocery Bags
Many communities are considering regulations to encourage recycling of plastic bags. California passed landmark legislation that serves as a good example for others.
Beginning in 2006, consumers in California were given a better opportunity to recycle their retail plastic carryout bags. Legislation was enacted to require specific grocery and pharmacy stores with retail outlets greater than 10,000 square feet in size to provide recycling bins in their stores to collect used plastic bags for recycling. A steady supply of raw material needed to generate recycled products and the reduction of plastic bag litter were two immediate benefits of the legislation.
AB 2449: The Plastic Bag Recycling Act of 2006 - California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine of Van Nuys sponsored this waste reduction legislation. Larger retailers were required to collect, transport and properly recycle all plastic bags returned to their stores. In a press release, the sponsor says, "Despite the huge advances that we have made in keeping recyclables from our landfills, California still lacks the infrastructure necessary to collect and recycle the 19 billion plastic bags it uses. Right now our plastic bags end up in landfills or destroying the ecosystem of our oceans. With AB 2449 in place, it will make it easier for the consumer to help create a recycling market in California. However, this program only works if everyone helps to educate the public that their bags need to return to the stores."
Manufacturer Reaction - Plastic bag manufacturers support the recycling legislation. It reduces the number of bags that could potentially pollute the environment and guarantee a steady reservoir of plastic available for use in manufacturing other plastic based products. One example is blending of recycled plastic bags and wood waster to provide weather resistant lumber that is popular for use on decks. The California law is seen as landmark legislation that sets a good example for other states and local governments.
California Plastic Bag Facts Existing Prior to Adoption of AB 2449:
- 600 bags generated every second
- 19 billion plastic carryout bags used each year
- Only 5% of plastic bags were being recycled
- Plastic bags accounted for 73,000 tons of landfill material each year
- Enough bags were thrown away each year to encircle the globe 250 times over
- Cutting plastic bag waste in half would save 2,000 barrels of oil a day
Consumers will do the right thing for the environment when given the tools and opportunity to recycle their plastic bags. Plastic bags are a major source of marine debris. Advocate groups encourage consumers to consider using reusable canvas bags to carry their purchases home from the store. There are even totes now being made from recycled plastic, nicely closing the circle of retail plastic use.
