IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
California is now the only state with an outright prohibition on single-use plastic bags.
Gov. Brown signed legislation Tuesday that will remove the bags from large grocery stores starting next summer, followed by convenience stores and pharmacies in 2016, according to an Associated Press report.
The American Progressive Bag Alliance, which has broadcast commercials criticizing the ban, announced it will seek a voter referendum that would repeal the law. The alliance has called an elimination of plastic bags unfair, and said it will lead to a loss of manufacturing jobs.
Brown’s veto is a major win for environmentalists, who argue that plastic bags cause litter problems and damage aquatic ecosystems. More than 100 cities and counties nationwide have barred the use of plastic bags, the report stated.
