Assemblymember Lloyd Levine's Strengthened Plastic Bag Recycling Program Is Approved by the Assembly

SACRAMENTO – By a 42 to 31 vote, the toughest plastic bag reduction bill in the nation authored by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Woodland Hills) was passed by the California Assembly.

 Assembly bill 2058 now goes to the California Senate for a vote.

“This measure is aimed at substantially reducing the litter, waste and significant costs associated with the more than 19 billion single-use shopping bags generated in California,” Assemblymember Lloyd Levine said. “By incentivizing consumers to bring their own bag, we can effectively eliminate the single use plastic bag and all of the litter, waste and costs associated with it.”

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

AB 2058 will work toward reducing the number of plastic bags used by customers by the year 2011. Californians now use over 19 billion plastic grocery bags each year.

The following links are Assemblymember Lloyd Levine’s comments on AB 2058.

Assemblymember Lloyd Levine explains his legislation to reduce plastic bag litter will work.

During the floor debate Assemblymember Levine recounted a story told during the original debate over plastic bag recycling.

During his closing statement on the Assembly floor Assemblymember Lloyd Levine pointed out that consumers are already paying for plastic bag litter.

Assemblymember Lloyd Levine says it will be simple to avoid paying a plastic bag fee.

Assemblymember Lloyd Levine says there is no doubt a recycling fee is an effective way to reduce litter.