Plastic Bags Going Away Statewide on New Year’s Day
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Shopping bags are going 100% paper for 10 cents apiece statewide in California on New Years’ Day.
The overall initiative to stop using plastic shopping bags for groceries has taken almost 20 years for the state due to a few legal loopholes.
Thin, single-use plastic bags were banned in 2014 and the ban was upheld by voters in 2016, but thick, reusable plastic bags were still allowed, also for 10 cents each.
The problem became that most consumers were using these thicker bags only once and discarding them— leading to even more pollution.
Last year governor Newsom signed legislation for a full ban on all plastic shopping bags statewide, set to begin January 1st, 2026.
Many stores have already made the adjustment to avoid any penalties, and a significant portion of consumers have gotten used to bringing their own shopping bags.
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