Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • K Show
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Processor of the Year
    • Best Places to Work
      • 2023 winners
    • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Rising Stars
    • Diversity
    • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • Pellets and Politics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • Bioplastics Live
    • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Resin Prices
    • Resin Prices Overview
    • Commodity Thermoplastics
    • High Temperature Thermoplastics
    • Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Thermosets
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Viewpoint
September 18, 2014 02:00 AM

Lawmakers target plastic bags, bottles

Don Loepp
Editor
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Rich Williams

    California is poised to ban single-use plastic bags. At this point Gov. Jerry Brown could still veto the bill, but that seems extremely unlikely.

    Will a statewide bag ban have an impact on litter and marine debris? Yes, of course. Likely less than the public expects, but that really doesn't matter. Plastic bags are primarily a symbol of unnecessary waste, rather than being the root of the problem.

    Meanwhile, there's another battle taking place on the East Coast, this time over plastic containers. In Massachusetts, voters are being asked to expand the state's deposit law to include bottled water and other non-carbonated beverages.

    It's notable that both California and Massachusetts are home to sizeable plastics sectors. Not that the industry speaks with a single voice, but we can still take a look at what the issues mean to the plastics industry in both states.

    A long battle in the Golden State

    California is home base for grassroots efforts aimed at cleaning up the ocean and beaches. Activists wanted to do more than pick up trash — they wanted to ban something. Plastic bags are utilitarian but unloved products. Even when they were first introduced, they spawned a debate — paper or plastic? The public never liked plastics enough to put the issue to bed.

    The plastics industry used a number of arguments to fight bans and taxes. The efforts were largely successful for a long time — so it's unfair to say that they followed the wrong strategy.

    First, there were legal battles and threats of lawsuits. Then, during the Great Recession, it was particularly effective to argue that bans and taxes were job killers.

    It's also probably true that alternatives are worse for the environment. But for too long the plastics industry reacted as if this was a paper vs. plastic debate. But that ended years ago. This debate was all about deciding between durable, reusable bags or single-use plastics. Indeed, paper bag makers opposed the California law too, since it places a 10-cent fee on their bags.

    Another symbol in the Bay State

    In Massachusetts, there's a political battle over another common plastic package that's become a symbol in the debate over litter and marine debris — water bottles.

    On Nov. 4, voters will decide whether to expand the state's deposit program to include water bottles and other noncarbonated beverages.

    The American Beverage Association is fighting hard against the issue, raising $5 million, which it's using on TV ads and to hire Goddard Gunster, a high-powered PR advocacy firm — the ones behind those “Harry & Louise” ads that helped to scuttle the Clinton health care plan in the 1990s.

    So industry has money and muscle on its side in the Bay State. But I would argue that the plastics industry should stay away from this battle. Or, better yet, join the other side.

    Expanding the state's 5-cent bottle redemption law to include water would be excellent for plastics recyclers. PET bottles have value and are prized by recycling companies. The U.S. plastics recycling rate is too low, and these definitely fit the definition of low-hanging fruit.

    On top of that, remember that Concord, Mass., voters recently decided to outlaw single-use water bottles, in part because of their poor recycling record. Perhaps other communities won't follow in those footsteps. But there's reason to be proactive now and take steps to improve the sustainability record.

    Plastics News

    Don Loepp

    What's next?

    If the ballot issue in Massachusetts passes, there will be a reduction in litter, and plastics recycling will get a much needed boost. Small businesses will bear a burden — being forced to handle an increase in bottle returns. That's unfortunate, but the pluses outweigh the minuses for the plastics industry on this issue.

    In California, I expect that the bag ban/tax will be a burden, too, especially on poor people who carry groceries home or take the bus. If they forget their reusable bags at home, they'll have to buy a new one whenever they shop. And, of course, it will be a burden on plastic bag makers.

    Some voters believe that banning a safe and legal product is an example of government overreach, and at best a distraction from more serious and pressing issues. Is it a majority? We'll find out soon enough, since Brown has a Republican challenger, Neel Kashkari, who has made that argument.

    Loepp is editor of Plastics News and author of “The Plastics Blog.”

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Balance: A personal touch helps with social media. So does knowing when to be quiet
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    PVC, PS resin prices take opposite paths in May
    2
    Target, Walmart cut from bag drop-off site directory following report
    3
    Shell Chemical fined $10M, restarting production
    4
    Plastics industry social media accounts worth following
    5
    Recycling makes plastic toxic, Greenpeace claims
    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Tire Business
    • Urethanes Technology
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • K Show
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • Processor of the Year
        • Best Places to Work
          • 2023 winners
        • Women Breaking the Mold
        • Rising Stars
        • Diversity
        • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
      • Newsletters
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • Pellets and Politics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • Bioplastics Live
        • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Resin Prices
      • Resin Prices Overview
      • Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temperature Thermoplastics
      • Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Recycled Plastics
      • Thermosets
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified