North Bay Politician Pushing For Statewide Ban Of Plastic Shopping Bags
SAN RAFAEL (KCBS) - A Marin lawmaker said it's time for California to adopt a statewide ban on plastic bags similar to ones already in place in several Bay Area cities.
Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael, is expressing confidence in his ability to convince his colleagues in Sacramento to support the nation's first statewide ban of disposable, plastic shopping bags.
Similar legislation failed two years ago, but the newly elected Levine has reintroduced it.
Levin said a ban is necessary because the bags are not recyclable, sending them to landfills where they can take up to 1,000 years to break down. It's too important of an issue, according to Levine, to see it stopped in its tracks after one failed legislative attempt at the State Capitol.
"The problem with the use of these bags is that they pollute our beaches, clog our creeks, and kill marine life," he added. "In fact, plastic bags account for roughly 10% of the debris that washes up on our beaches."
North Bay Politician Pushing for Statewide Ban of Plastic Shopping Bags
Several dozen communities throughout the state already have local bag bans in place, which Levine says points to Californians' willingness to adjust their shopping habits to include reusable bags.
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