By Lookout Staff

June 04, 2010 -- It certainly was not a landslide victory, but a bill calling for a ban on single-use plastic bags and for paper bags to be offered for a charge was approved by the California Assembly by a 41-27 vote on Wednesday.

No Republicans supported AB 1998 and the number of votes received was the minimum amount needed for passage. The bill will head to the Senate and possibly Gov. Schwarzenegger for his signature.

AB 1998 was introduced by Santa Monica Assemblymember Julia Brownley and is sponsored by the local environmental group Heal the Bay.

Press conferences in support of the bill took place in Santa Monica and Sacramento on Tuesday. See:
Support Grows for Plastic Bag Ban, June 3, 2010.

The bill applies to grocery stores, pharmacies and convenience stores. Under the plan, customers are encouraged to use reusable bags, but they would be allowed to purchase paper bags for at least 5 cents.

In addition to environmentalists, supporters include the California Grocers Association and the United Food and Commercial Workers.

They say California uses an estimated 19 billion plastic bags per year that litter the ocean and the coastline as well as other natural areas.

Opponents include the American Chemistry Council, numerous chambers of commerce and various manufactures. They say passage of the bill would lead to significant job losses and the use of paper bags, which some say are more harmful.

"In addition to the adverse impact on consumers, AB 1998 jeopardizes 500 good paying manufacturing jobs in the Los Angeles region, not to mention hundreds of other jobs like suppliers, distributors and vendors that would be put at risk if this bill passes," said Julian Canete, executive director of the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, in a press release issued by a group calling itself the Coalition Against AB 1998.

Plastic bags are already banned in several California cities, including Malibu and San Francisco. Santa Monica officials have considered a ban, but the City Council held off on approving one last year so that an environmental impact report (EIR) could be completed. The draft version of the EIR was released this week. To access it, go to www.smgov.net/departments/ose/ and scroll down to “Santa Monica Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance.”