At long last, Californians may soon get cleaner streets and beaches — because the state’s close to banning the plastic bag.

AB 1998, a bill that would ban plastic bags and virgin paper bags, passed in the State Assembly this week. Now, AB 1998 needs to pass in the State Senate, which is expected to take up the bill this Summer. Governor Schwarzenegger’s already come out in support of the bill, so assuming all goes smoothly, the bag ban would go into effect Jan. 1, 2012.

That’ll put a nice dent in the 19 billion plastic bags Californians go through every year. Though bags made of virgin paper would also be banned, stores wouldn’t have to get rid of disposable bags altogether. Recycled paper bags that contain at least 40 percent post-consumer content would be allowed — so long as stores charge at least a quarter for them.

AB 1998 was authored by my own state assemblymember, Julia Brownley. According to LAist, Julia’s been making both the environmental and business case for the bag ban, pointing out that plastic bags cost Californians $25 million a year in cleanup fees.

Right now, we’ve got a strange patchwork of anti-plastic-bag laws across the state, with some cities like Malibu and San Francisco successfully banning plastic bags outright, others like Santa Monica stymied by the threat of lawsuits from the plastic industry, and yet others like Los Angeles vowing to ban bags if the State doesn’t ban them soon.

Well, now, the state’s set to ban them soon. To put your voice behind the ban if you haven’t already, sign the petitions or send letters to your elected officials at Heal the Bay, Environment California, or Surfrider Foundation.

Earlier:
>> Bag fee means bag free — or what shoppers in D.C. do to save 5 cents
>> Bring your own bag: How to BYOB in easy eco-style
>> Sunday solutions: Banning and taxing plastic bags

Photo by teddave

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