Assemblymember Lloyd Levine's Strengthened Plastic Bag Recycling Program Is Approved by Natural Resources Committee

SACRAMENTO – The toughest plastic bag reduction bill in the nation authored by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Woodland Hills) was passed by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on a 5 to 3 vote. Assembly bill 2058 now goes to Assembly Appropriations.

“This is a significant victory for the environment,” Assemblymember Lloyd Levine said.

“Plastic bags are imposing a considerable cost to the environment and to California taxpayers now shelling out $285 million dollars a year for clean-up.”

Two years ago Levine broke ground with Assembly bill 2449, California’s first statewide plastic bag recycling program.

“Assemblymember Levine created California’s plastic bag recycling movement by writing the law allowing Californians to recycle their plastic bags right at the grocery store,” Bryan Early, policy coordinator for Californians Against Waste said. “Now he’s pushing the recycling boundaries even farther with Assembly bill 2058.”

AB 2058 will work toward reducing the number of plastic bags that retailers can give out to customers by the year 2011. Californians now use over 19 billion plastic grocery bags each year.

Assemblymember Lloyd Levine’s complete opening statement to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee regarding Assembly Bill 2058.

Assemblymember Lloyd Levine says is a followed to his landmark plastic bag recycling legislation, AB 2449.

Assemblymember Lloyd Levine says the purpose of AB 2058 is to reduce the amount of plastic bags in the waste stream and landfills.

Assemblymember Lloyd Levine’s entire closing statement to the committee.