In the state of California, a new law has been put in place as of Jan. 1, 2026, which calls for all plastic bags in stores to be replaced with paper bags, following a small fee. This new law aims to reduce the environmental harm caused by plastic bags.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1053, often referred to as the “fix it” bill in 2024, as the previous ban on thin plastic bags was still harmful because people were using thicker plastic bags. These thicker plastic bags were meant to be reusable, but ended up causing more waste later on.
SB (Senate Bill) 1053 was co-authored by Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, which confirmed the official ban on single-use plastic bags. In 2014, the legislature passed Bill 270, which put a ban on single-use plastic bags, but was reaffirmed by the California voters in 2016, allowing for plastic bags as long as they were reusable.
Senator Blakespear said, “The plastic bag prohibition at grocery store checkouts will eliminate millions of plastic bags from our waste streams and using paper bags, when you don’t have a reusable one, is a more renewable and recyclable resource that doesn’t require drilling for oil in its creation, as plastic bags do.”
Most students and teachers around Aliso feel that the new law is a great change that will positively affect the state’s environment.
Ms. Zhou, a chemistry teacher, says, “There is a triangle written right underneath most plastic things that has a number inside of it. There are seven of these numbers, and those plastics are all different from each other.”
Ms. Zhou goes on to say, “So when you try to recycle plastic, that means that they need to sort it by the number. Since plastic itself is so complicated to use, I think paper is just more straightforward.”
Sun Roellich (10) says, “I feel better with the paper bags because California strives to be more environmentally friendly, and I think a lot of states should make that switch because it helps our environment and our oceans.”
While much of Aliso is in support of Senate Bill 1053, many do not see its benefits and believe that the bags will rip more easily and will not cause a change in the environment.
Sofia Gonzalez (9) says, “It will help in one way, and make it bad in a different way. It fixes the plastic problem, but it’s going to kill trees.”
Mrs Katya, a proctor at Aliso, describes the new law as, “Another thing that we will have to see how long it lasts.”
Robyn Cadieux (10) said, “I don’t like paper bags because every time I get a paper bag, it always starts ripping and then my food falls out.”
Kaia Pintarelli (10) said, “I say plastic bags are better than paper bags, but also it’s not that hard to bring a reusable bag.”
Some people are undecided, such as Aliso math teacher, Ms. Lusar, who says, “It depends on how it is recycled.”
Some people simply do not mind the switch, with English teacher Ms. Smith saying, “I like the Target bags.”
With this new change sweeping California, many Californians have already become accustomed to the new law.
