Plastics industry spent $2 million on lobbying in California

The plastics industry spent about $2 million on lobbying in California between July 1 and Sept. 30 -- as the state legislature was considering a bill that would have banned many single-use plastic bags. More than half of that total came from Hartsville, S.C.-based bag manufacturer Hilex Poly Co. LLC, according to a report from The Sacramento Bee, based on recently released data from the California Secretary of State. In addition to Hilex's $1.08 million, the American Chemistry Council spent about $942,000 on lobbying in that three month stretch. ACC was interested in other legislation too, including a bill that would have tightened restrictions on bisphenol A. Both the bag and BPA bans failed. But with all that money floating around, you can be sure the legislature will take them up again next year.