Santa Barbara County Backs New Legislation to Strengthen Plastic Bag Ban
Santa Barbara County supervisors have unanimously supported two state bills—Senate Bill 1053 and Assembly Bill 2236—that aim to close a loophole in California's 2016 plastic bag ban, which has inadvertently led to an increase in the use of heavy-duty plastic bags.
The original ban targeted single-use plastic bags, but activists from CALPIRG informed the supervisors that the loophole has resulted in even more plastic bags being used today than before the ban was enacted.
Supervisor Joan Hartmann highlighted the alarming statistic that the average person now ingests enough microplastics annually to create a credit card, with potential health risks like cancer and endocrine disruption still largely unknown.
During the discussion, Supervisor Steve Lavagnino inquired about alternative bag options if the new legislation were passed. He was informed that paper bags would be the substitute. However, Supervisor Das Williams pointed out that from a climate change perspective, paper bags could be even worse than plastic. He shared his personal approach to avoid the dilemma by carrying items out without a bag or enlisting the help of his children to manage the load. "That’s why you have kids," he joked.
These proposed bills represent a significant step towards reducing plastic waste and its environmental impact in California.
