Bag Ban Still an Option for West Hollywood

A bill to ban single-use plastic grocery bags failed in the state Senate Tuesday night, in spite of pressure from local governments, the California Grocer's Association and several local efforts to ban the bags. The bill failed to pass off the Senate floor and received a 14-21 vote.

At a press conference on Aug. 29, L.A. County District Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, whose district includes West Hollywood, said that if the bill, AB 1998, failed, he would spearhead a county initiative to ban the commonly-used thin plastic grocery bags that are widely considered an environmental hazard to sea creatures, as well as a major litter nuisance.

West Hollywood City Councilwoman Abbe Land, who has already co-authored a ban for the city, said in an email message Wednesday that she was very disappointed by the bill's failure.

"Two years ago, we approved a measure to ban single-use plastic bags in West Hollywood," Land wrote. "However, we have not yet put an ordinance on the books due to threatened legal action, so this has been on hold as legal actions proceeded and in the hope that there would be a statewide solution that would allow us to move forward without the cloud of litigation," she said in an email message.

"Now, with this failed effort in the state legislature, it appears banning single-use plastic bags will have to be a city-by-city, county-by-county process," Land said in her email.   

According to Land, the city will be discussing this issue again at an upcoming meeting and will also look to work in coalition with other local governments who want to halt the use of these single-use plastic bags. 

Assembly member Julia Brownley, who authored the bill, said in her official statement that she was very disappointed by a 14-21 vote, but that the issue will come up again.

"But, this is an environmental movement that won't be stopped," said Brownley in a statement.  "It's not a matter of if, but a matter of when consumers bring their own bags and become good stewards of the environment," said Brownley.

The California Grocer's Association was supporting the bill, even though their members would have felt the greatest impact, because, as spokesperson Dave Heylan put it, a uniform, statewide policy was needed, since local governments were already taking steps to ban the bags.

Because the local ordinances will probably vary from government-to-government, Heylan said it will be confusing for consumers as well as business owners.

With the Aug. 31 end of the legislative session, there was a strong push to pass the bill, in spite of considerable lobbying by chemical company interests that were concerned about the loss of jobs in their industry.  With the legislature working to pass not only this bill, but many others, before the end of the session at midnight, the vote was put on hold at least twice, then finally voted on and losing 14-21.

It is estimated that the state, alone, spends $25 million on cleaning up the bags along highways, and other state properties, while Californians use 19 billion of them and only recycle 5 percent.

To learn more about AB 1998 and to receive future updates, visit the Californians Against Waste website at www.cawrecycles.org.