California Bill Could Ban All Plastic Shopping Bags by 2026

California legislators introduced a bill Feb. 8 that would ban the use of all plastic shopping bags by 2026. The state already has restrictions on thin single-use plastic bags at stores, but Senate Bill 1053 seeks to eliminate the use of thicker varieties, often marketed as reusable and recyclable, which buyers can purchase for an additional cost. However, State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, who introduced the bill along with Sen. Ben Allen, argued that consumers actually don’t reuse or recycle the thicker plastic bags. In a press release, Ms. Blakenspear said that the plastic bag ban implemented in 2014 did not achieve the intended reduction in overall plastic consumption....