California will ban “recyclable” plastic produce bags starting in 2026.

Question

This claim is legit, but a little stretched. The “recyclable bags” which are already used aren’t actually recyclable, so yes they’re banned, but actual materials used for bags that can be recycled aren’t banned.  I fact-checked it through CalRecycle, which lays out the full timeline of the bag bans under SB 270 and SB 1046. Starting January 1, 2025, stores can only offer compostable or recycled paper bags for produce. Then in 2026, even the so-called “recyclable” plastic carryout bags are out. I also checked legal summaries and news coverage from ABC7 and PackagingLaw, which all confirm the same rollout. The Sacramento Bee article I started with lines up with everything I found.

Answer 1

This is true. According to CalRecycle, stores will be selling single-use plastic bags until January 1, 2026 due to California's single-use carryout bag ban, SB 270. Up until this date,  stores can sell reusable plastic bags or recycled paper bags. The ban requires stores to charge at least 10 cents per bag, and to use this money to cover the costs of educational materials/an educational campaign as well as compliance with the ban.

Sources:

https://calrecycle.ca.gov/plastics/carryoutbags/

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=PRC&division=30.&title=&part=3.&chapter=5.3.&article=3.

Answer 2

This post is correct, although you do need to layout what else is happening. This is apart of a bigger change and move toward all bags being recyclable materials. StartingJjanuary1st, 2028, "recycled paper bags distributed at stores must contain at least 50% postconsumer recycled materials." Taken from the same website you provided.

Comments

It's always best to check other sources besides what's posted by the OP to confirm that what's presented is accurate. Thanks!

Answer 3

This fact-check is true to some extent. According the an article by Hunton Andrews Kurth, California has passed on a ban on all plastic bags which will take affect on Janauary 1st, 2026. Shoppers will not have the ability to receive and purchase plastic bags at grocery stores. Any single-use bags that are not recyclable will be banned. The article states, "the ban does not apply to bags used before the point of sale, such as produce bags and overwrap for fresh meat."  This quote from the article is contradicting because grocery stores are wanting to get rid of plastic bags entirely but there are other products they are selling that require plastic. Back in 2014, there was a bill passed to have grocery stores make thicket and bigger bags that shoppers could use but most consumers did not reuse the bags. In order for action to happen on resolving the plastic waste issue, there is a senate bill that encourages shoppers to bring their own bags or "they can purchase recycled paper bags at check."  Another very helpful way to reduce the amount of plastic waste is recycling the plastic into the paper bags. Yes I believe this fact-check is somewhat true. 

Comments

Don't forget to include your source links in all your fact-checks. Thanks!

Answer 4

After conducting my own research, I find this statement to be true. Starting 2026, California's new law will ban the sale and distribution of plastic produce bags, including those labeled as “recyclable”. Instead, customers must bring their own reusable bags or use paper bags that are either purchased from the store or provided at the checkout. This measure expands on a previous ban that did not cover produce bags, aiming to further reduce plastic waste and its environmental impact. As Mark Murray, Executive Director of Californians Against Waste, explains, “The thicker bags, because they were five, six, seven times thicker, were generating more total plastic film waste than the old flimsier bags.” (NPR,2024). It shows that even though the previous law allowed “thicker, reusable” plastic bags, those bags actually created more plastic waste overall. In other words, simply switching to thicker bags didn’t solve the environmental problem, it sometimes made it worse. Californians Against Waste explains that many of the single-use produce bags end up in compost waste streams, leading to an increase of microplastics in compost and higher handling costs, which in turn result in increased rates for consumers. As they note, “This kind of plastic film is not recyclable.” (The Planetary Press, 2022). This means that even when consumers try to dispose of these bags properly, the material still can’t be processed through recycling systems. Instead, it contaminates compost facilities and contributes to plastic pollution, which is exactly the problem that California’s new law aims to address. Overall, the upcoming ban closes these loopholes and represents a necessary step toward reducing plastic waste, protecting ecosystems, and supporting a cleaner future for California. 

Articles: https://www.npr.org/2024/10/03/nx-s1-5129855/newly-passed-laws-in-california-will-ban-all-plastic-bags-from-grocery-stores-by-2026

https://www.theplanetarypress.com/2022/10/california-becomes-first-u-s-state-to-prohibit-plastic-produce-bags/#:~:text=Californians%20Against%20Waste%20explains%20that%20many%20of,kind%20of%20plastic%20film%20is%20not%20recyclable.