All plastic bags, regardless of their “reusability,” have been banned from being sold at grocery-store checkouts in California, in an effort to close loopholes found in the original plastic bag ban of 2014 and to create a better future for the environment.
Signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, California Senate Bill (SB) 1053 took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, effectively revising California SB 270 from over a decade ago, replacing thicker, “reusable” plastic bags with completely recyclable or reusable alternatives.
“SB 1053 strengthens California’s original 2014 plastic bag ban by closing a critical loophole. The bill prohibits grocery stores and retailers from providing those thicker plastic bags that were marketed as “reusable” at checkout. Instead, stores can only offer truly recyclable paper bags or genuinely durable reusable bags,” said Lauren Weston, the CEO of Acterra, a Bay Area-based environmental nonprofit.
These thicker, “reusable” plastic bags were initially viewed as a more sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bags; however, most Californians only used them once.
“Californians weren’t actually reusing the thicker plastic bags. They ended up being treated as single-use items, and because they contained more plastic than the thin bags they replaced, we actually saw plastic bag waste increase after the 2014 ban,” Weston said.
According to CalRecycle, this was a 47% increase, as from 2014 to 2021, California saw more than 70,000 more pounds of plastic bags being disposed of. Although some stores in the Bay Area, such as Safeway and Whole Foods, are able to recycle these bags, according to Recology, this is not the norm for the rest of the state, leaving many plastic bags to degrade in the environment for up to 1,000 years.
“Most places don’t recycle plastic bags. A few recycling facilities will, but it is really hard. Plastic can’t be recycled back into the same kind of plastic, like glass and aluminum. It only degrades. So, even though it technically says it’s recyclable, it will end up in the landfill,” said Debolina Dutta, an Advanced Placement (AP) environmental science teacher at Carlmont High School.
In these landfills, plastic bags will slowly degrade into microplastics over time, which is harmful not only to humans who ingest and inhale microplastics but also to animals that commonly mistake plastic for food and become entangled in it, according to Stanford Medicine.
“Sea turtles often mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish, which can lead to intestinal blockages and starvation. Many marine mammals and seabirds also experience similar ingestion issues,” Weston said. “Bags can also restrict movement and cause injury or death.”
Marine animals, however, are not the only ones affected. In land environments, plastic takes longer to break down, causing similar, detrimental effects to those found in marine settings.
“Plastic bags can contaminate soil, affecting plant growth and soil microorganism health. Wildlife will ingest plastic fragments, which can cause internal injuries, starvation, and toxic chemical exposure, while birds use plastic in nests, which can trap chicks and introduce toxins,” Weston said.
These dangers are exactly what SB 1053 aims to reduce, and according to Weston, this bill is taking a step in the right direction, revising what didn’t work in the past for the benefit of the environment.
“SB 1053 is exactly the kind of iterative policy improvement we need. When the 2014 ban didn’t achieve its intended outcomes, legislators didn’t abandon the approach — they studied what went wrong and fixed it. This shows adaptive environmental governance,” Weston said. “SB 1053 is one important step on a much longer journey toward a circular economy.”
Similar to Weston, Dutta also believes that this bill represents progress, and she stresses that small actions from the community can make a big difference, such as avoiding plastic takeout containers when eating out or ordering in.
“With food delivery services, ask them not to put it in a plastic bag. If you could pick up your food delivery, that’s even better. If you’re eating out, like most of the world, bring your own takeout container and then put leftovers in it,” Dutta said.
Ultimately, plastic bags do more harm than good for the environment, and for Dutta, she believes that plastic is our downfall. SB 1053 aims to reduce plastic bag usage across the state by replacing them with reusable bags, a habit that is already familiar to one Carlmont student.
“I usually bring my own reusable bag to grocery shopping. It’s more sustainable and more convenient. Most people have reusable bags, especially in Belmont, so I don’t think it’ll be too different. The bill will just encourage people to use more reusable bags,” said Rina Choe, a senior at Carlmont.
