This time, California has banned thicker plastic bags.

After acknowledging the ineffectiveness of the initial plastic bag ban, California lawmakers have enacted a second ban on plastic bags.

Sen. Catherine Blakespear and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan stated that more comprehensive legislation is required to address a loophole in the initial legislation, which has resulted in consumers using more plastic over the past decade.

The Democrats have introduced Senate Bill 1053 and Assembly Bill 2236, which propose changes to the state's single-use bag ban. Under the new proposal, grocery stores will no longer be allowed to sell thick plastic bags and will instead be required to provide recycled paper bags at checkout.

The legislation, which was passed in late August, is currently on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk, awaiting his signature. If signed into law, the ban will take effect in 2026.

"Instead of being prompted to choose between paper and plastic at checkout, consumers will now be asked if they want a paper bag. This simple change will eliminate plastic bags from the point of sale, significantly reducing the plastic waste that is harming our environment and waterways, as stated by Blakespear to the Times."

In 2014, California enacted SB 270, a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags at grocery, drug and convenience stores, in an attempt to reduce plastic waste and promote the use of reusable bags. Despite this, Democrats acknowledged that the plastic bag ban did not achieve its goal of reducing waste, as consumers would often pay a small fee for the heavier "reusable" plastic bags offered by grocery stores and subsequently discard them.

Over the past decade, there has been a 47% increase in plastic bag waste tonnage, according to a consumer advocacy group known as CALPIRG.

In 2014, 4.08 tons of plastic bag waste were discarded per 1,000 people in California. By 2022, this had increased to 5.89 tons per 1,000 people, representing a 47% jump in the tonnage of discarded plastic bags. The Times reported on this in February, citing a study that found 231,072 tons of plastic bag waste were discarded in California that year.

The Times reported that both environmental groups and the California Grocers Association supported the new legislation.

Last month, an editorial in the paper called for lawmakers to pass the "do-over" plastic ban.

No recycling facilities in the state accept these bags, as retailers distributed them like candy and consumers were unable to recycle them even if they desired to do so.

"This can't continue," it stated. "We require a redo - a second plastic bag ban that upholds the commitment made by lawmakers in 2014 with Senate Bill 270 and the one that voters supported in 2016 when they rejected an industry-backed ballot initiative to overturn it."

The group of recyclers and manufacturers in California expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposed legislation.

The approval of this ill-advised law will lead to a series of problems for all Californians. Despite evidence showing that banning plastic film grocery bags harms consumers, businesses, and does not align with what Californians want or help the environment, these lawmakers chose to enact the legislation. Roxanne Spiekerman, spokesperson for the RRA and Vice President of Public Affairs for PreZero US, made this statement.

Planet Chronicle' Kendall Tietz contributed to this report.