CSAC Bulletin Article

Single-Use Bag Ban Exemption Expires

June 25, 2020

Governor Newsom has allowed the single-use plastic bag ban exemption to expire. The provision in Executive Order N-54-20 suspending portions of the statewide single-use carryout bag ban(SB 270 (Padilla, Chapter 850, Statutes of 2014)) was not renewed with other recycling Executive Orders. Stores located in jurisdictions that are subject to the requirements of SB 270 should no longer be distributing single-use carryout bags and should be charging customers when providing reusable grocery bags. CalRecycle released a statement that retail establishments should be used following the hygiene and cleaning practices recommended by public health officials.

Cal/OSHA issued guidance for the grocery industry regarding the use of reusable bags. The original Executive Order was not intended to, and did not, apply to retail establishments in local jurisdictions with ordinances governing the use of single-use carryout bags in effect before January 1, 2015. Public Resources Code section 42287 continued to allow those jurisdictions to apply ordinances in effect before January 1, 2015 restricting the use of single-use carryout bags as well as any emergency rules established by those jurisdictions and their respective health departments. For more information regarding certification of reusable grocery bags, please visit CalRecycle Carryout Bags.

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