SB 270 P LASTIC B AG B AN R EFERENDUM F OR OR A GAINST ? Discussion with Class of 2016 Environmental Charter High School Lawndale, CA F ULL D ISCLOSURE ON WHO I AM AND WHO I WORK FOR Cathy Browne Environmentalist, Manufacturer of Plastic Bags can the two coexist? Crown Poly Manufacturer of plastic bagging systems in Huntington Park, CA with focus on sustainability for the past 25 years is it possible to be a green manufacturer, providing 320 jobs while benefiting the environment ? F ACTS AND F ALLACIES ABOUT P LASTIC B AGS UK Govt Environment Agency, Lifecycle Assessment of Plastic, Paper and Reusable Bags Plastic Retail Bags in Litter, Environmental Resources Planning Brief Incidental Catch of Marine Birds and Mammals in Fishing Nets off Newfoundland, Canada Marine Pollution Bulletin, pg , 1987 UK Govt Environment Agency, LCA 1. Plastic Bags are not single use 2.Plastic Bags are not a huge source of Litter 3. Plastic Bags do not kill millions of fish, birds and marine animals annually 4. Reusable Bags are better for the Environment 1. Over 41% of all front end grocery bags are reused in UK 2. Plastic bags comprise less than 1% of litter (.6%) 3.Plastic Fishing Line kills millions of fish, birds and marine animals annually 4.Reusable bags that look like cloth are woven Polypropylene (plastic) Made in China and shipped here by the millions. Also, results from British LCA show grocery bags are better than cotton and paper bags for the environment P LASTIC B AGS VS. R EUSABLE B AGS British LCA shows that a plastic bag is better for the environment only if a cotton bag is used more than 130 times. (with the plastic bag not being reused, which more than 40% are). British LCA shows that a plastic bag is better for the environment only if a woven PP bag is used more than 11 times. The import tariffs by the US Trade Commission shows that more than 30 woven PP bags have been imported into the US for every man, woman and child in the past 7 years. This ban has been a boon for China and their PP bag business. British LCA shows that a plastic bag is better for the environment only if a paper bag is used more than 3 times. (can anyone reuse paper bags more than once on a regular basis?) F ACTS AND F ALLACIES ABOUT P LASTIC B AGS /T AXES U NINTENDED S IDE EFFECTS OF B AG B ANS Banning plastic bags from grocery stores will reduce the amount of plastic by a significant quantity from our planet. False: banning plastic bags increases the amount of plastic in countries/municipalities that ban front end grocery bags by increasing trash bag usage 15 60%. (since up to 60% of shoppers reuse front end grocery bags as trash bags). The increase in trash bag sales is also noted as an unintended side effect of bag tax in Ireland. Ehrenberg Bass Institute for Marketing Science, University of South Australia F ACTS AND F ALLACIES ABOUT P LASTIC B AGS Banning plastic bags will save millions of barrels of oil. False: Plastic bags, made in the US like ours, are made out of a byproduct from Natural Gas that if it is not used, it is flared off. No imported oil is used in the production of plastic bags. F ACTS AND F ALLACIES ABOUT P LASTIC B AGS Paper bags are better for the environment. They are made of a renewable resource and degrade. False: Plastic bags are better for the environment. The AFPA (American Forest and Paper Association) redefined PCR paper pulp to include post industrial material within their process. Nothing degrades in a landfill since landfills are, by design, without oxygen and sunlight. F ACTS AND F ALLACIES ABOUT SB270 P LASTIC B AG B AN The $ $0.25 per bag fee on thicker reusable plastic bags or paper bags is benefiting the environment. This is a good tax to help our planet. False. This is an example of Corporate Welfare. Safeway pushed the plastic bag ban/reusable and paper bag fee because they stood to profit in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The plastic and paper bags have always been in your cost of goods of groceries when they were provided at no charge. Now, there is profit motive for the grocers. Beware of Government issuing regulations on weird things follow the money. Is there money being spent by the plastics industry? Yes, but not nearly as much as spent by the grocers and NGOs who work full time in Sacramento in the Senate and Assembly. Addressing Alternatives: What does switching from plastic bags to paper bags mean to Californians? $562,800,000 in additional retail costs by switching to paper bags Plastic bags cost $0.01 on and paper bags cost $0.08 on average Analysis includes a 1:1.5 carrying capacity ratio of paper compared to plastic 30,000 more trucks to deliver paper bags 7:1 ratio paper bags compared to plastic bags Increased diesel fuel consumption of 4,000,000 gallons to deliver paper bags 30,000 trucks X 800 mile average delivery 6 MPG = 4 million gallons Over $240,000,000 additional costs to California consumers to purchase plastic bags to replace the free grocery bags they re-use every day for house hold purposes. A very conservative 40% reuse rate of free plastic retail carry-out bags being replaced by purchased bags for trash can liners, pet waste containment and other home conveniences at $0.05 per bag Addressing Alternatives: Paper vs. Plastic For every 7 trucks needed to deliver paper bags, only 1 truck is needed for the same number of plastic bags. Plastic bags use less than 3% of the fresh water necessary to make paper bags. Water is our next scarce resource in CA. Manufacturing plastic bags consumes 82% less energy than paper bags. Recycling one pound of plastic takes 91% less energy than recycling one pound of paper. Plastic bags offer a meaningful environmental advantage over paper bags. Water UsageEnergy ConsumptionTransportation V ESTED I NTEREST Do I have a vested interest in being against SB270? Yes, because we employ 320 people today that werent part of our company 25 years ago. California should support manufacturers in this state and city, not hurt them. Yes, because I think it is like a regressive tax and is unfairly punitive to those who can least afford it. Not everyone can buy a Whole Foods reusable bag and leave in their car when they go to the store. Some in our society take the bus or walk to the store on their way home and dont carry reusable bags to work and then to the store with them. I am not so nave to believe our society cannot live without plastic bags. I agree that our disposable consumerism is a problem for the planet, and the fact that not much is manufactured in the US anymore is a big problem for me. I support people using reusable bags. I do not support people being forced to use reusable bags by false propaganda to have the ends justify the means so that millions are made by the grocers. Q&A I learned a long time ago that it is difficult to change peoples positions on issues. However, it is important to me that facts and science are taught and learned. Then it is up to you to make up your own mind as to what you believe. But at least you have made an informed decision. Thank you for inviting me to speak with you and present another side on this issue. It is appreciated!