In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a landmark new law that will bring the dispensary days of “paper or plastic?” to an end in 2026. The new law, aimed at making California a better state regarding the growing plastic pollution crisis, has earned both positive reviews from environmentalists and concerns from businesses at the grass-root level. But what does this mean for California citizens on a daily basis? How will it play out environmentally?
Let’s deconstruct this important news.
New Law in a Nutshell
Starting January 1, 2026, California will ban plastic bags at grocery store checkouts; customers would only get paper bags if they didn’t bring one, reusable. This move comes after years of claims that the current plastic bag regulations were insufficient to reduce pollution within the state.
State Senator Catherine Blakespear supports the new law, which aims to close the loophole that permits the sale of thicker plastic bags as reusable. The thick plastic bags were thought to considerably reduce the pieces of single-use plastic waste, but Blakespear says nothing was done to solve the broader problem. Further, as she had forecast, plastic bag pollution has also doubled since the original ban took effect.
The new measure aims to simplify things: no plastic bags, period. If you forget your reusable tote, then one’s only option will be a paper bag.
Why ban plastic bags?
It’s no surprise that plastic pollution is increasingly widespread. According to a state study’s data, the amount of plastic shopping bags trashed per capita increased from 8 pounds per year in 2004 to 11 pounds in 2021. These plastics do not break down; they occupy living spaces and create a chain of problems for wildlife and ecosystems.
Many things end up in waterways and the ocean, including plastic bags. In the ocean, plastic bags break down into microplastics that can be harmful to marine life, birds, and even humans. For this reason, Oceana, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ocean conservation, welcomed this law as it would allow California’s coastline and its marine life to avoid single-use plastics.
Blakespear, the bill’s author, described the plastic waste problem as “choking our planet.” She is correct—we can no longer ignore the environmental impact when plastic waste accumulates in landfills and oceans.
A Loophole Closed
Over a decade ago, California took this long path to ban plastic bags. In 2014, the state passed its first-ever ban on thin plastic shopping bags. However, there was a catch: stores were still allowed to sell the thicker plastic bags as “reusable” options. The theory posited that consumers would use the thicker bags for longer periods before reusing them. In reality, that has not been the case.
People were not reusing these bags for longer periods as previously thought, and the count of plastics was still on the rise. Most consumers used them like any other single-use bag. Here is where the new law closes the loophole that had permitted these thicker bags to be in existence.
Grocery stores will ban plastic bags starting in 2026. Customers will have to bring their reusing bags with them, or pay a small fee for a paper bag.
Environmental Impact
The environmental benefits of the plastic bag ban are particularly essential. This is because plastic pollution in the ocean has become a global crisis, affecting life under the ocean and even the water people drink. After plastic bags break down into tiny microplastics, they can enter the food chain with possible health consequences for humans, making them hazardous. People have also reported finding traces of microplastics in drinking water and the air they breathe in.
Eliminating plastic bags is a huge step toward reducing plastic waste in California. This is according to Jenn Engstrom, the director of the California Public Interest Research Group, which says that the law now at last meets original intent in enacting the 2014 ban on plastic bags. Engstrom added that plastic bags contribute to pollution, and the ban would help protect the environment and the public’s health.
Given California’s trend-setting nature, the state law will influence other states and countries. Twelve US states have already banned at least some use of plastic bags, and more than 600 cities in 28 states have restrictions on using plastic bags for grocery shopping. The updated California law may accelerate local actions in other parts of the country where plastic is causing similar problems.
Economic Impact: Business Owners Worried
Despite the promotion of the new law’s environmental benefits, not everyone is in agreement. Local grocery store owner Dirk Stump cited concerns about the possible economic impact of switching entirely to paper bags.
According to Stump, paper bags are actually even more expensive than plastic bags. They cost roughly three times as much as plastic bags. He compares this cost to the eventual increase in grocery prices for customers. Small businesses will find it a particularly difficult move to make.
Yet Stump also points out that kickoffs in 2026 give businesses a grace period to work through their remaining inventory. This phase could cost less than an economic blow, but fears of higher costs do not disappear.
He also argues that customers should only use plastic if they want to. Stump favours a free-market approach in which consumers can make choices regarding the type of bag to use, but such choice will no longer exist under the new law.
What does this mean for shoppers?
So, what can Californians expect in 2026? Firstly, grocery store checkout counters will no longer accept plastic bags. If you’ve been accustomed to consistently forgetting your reusable bags, you’ll need to adopt the habit of carrying them soon, or else you’ll have to pay for paper bags every time you go shopping.
Fortunately, many Californians have already developed the habit of carrying their reusable bags. Over the last few years, a widespread awareness about plastic pollution has led to the popularization of reusable bags. Already, the state’s plastic bag ban has pushed many shoppers into this behavior.
However, it will probably take some getting used to. Some customers will find it inconvenient or frustrating in the short term. As the practice of carrying bags becomes the norm, so too will this new way of doing things.
A Seamless Road Ahead
In the context of overall practices, California’s plastic bag ban is a strong move that aligns with the state’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Indeed, the implementation of the plastic bag ban will not begin until 2026, when grocery stores will finally remove plastic bags from their checkout lanes. This move could potentially lead to a reduction in plastic litter across the state.
Discussions around its impact on the environment and economy will continue as the law comes into effect. For now, however, it’s clear that California’s plastic bag era is over, and it’s time for a shift towards more sustainable shopping practices.