S B 270 – Plastic Bag Ban Referendum – For or Against? - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

SB 270 – Plastic Bag Ban Referendum – For or Against?

Discussion with Class of 2016 Environmental Charter High School – Lawndale, CASlide2

Full Disclosure 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? Slide3

Facts and Fallacies about Plastic Bags

¹UK Govt Environment Agency, Lifecycle Assessment of Plastic, Paper and Reusable Bags 2-18-11² Plastic Retail Bags in Litter, Environmental Resources Planning Brief ³ Incidental Catch of Marine Birds and Mammals in Fishing Nets off Newfoundland, Canada Marine Pollution Bulletin, pg 344-349, 1987⁴ UK Govt

Environment Agency, LCA

Plastic Bags are not single use

2. Plastic Bags are not a huge source of Litter

Plastic Bags do not kill millions of fish, birds and marine animals annually

Reusable Bags are better for the Environment

Over 41% of all front end grocery bags are reused in UK¹

Plastic bags comprise less than 1% of litter (.6%)²

3. Plastic Fishing Line kills millions of fish, birds and marine animals annually³

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 environment⁴Slide4

Plastic Bags vs. Reusable Bags

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?)Slide5

Facts and Fallacies about Plastic Bags/Taxes

Unintended Side effects of Bag BansBanning 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).⁵

The increase in trash bag sales is also noted as an unintended side effect of bag tax in Ireland.

⁵ Ehrenberg Bass Institute for Marketing Science, University of South AustraliaSlide6

Facts and Fallacies about Plastic Bags

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.Slide7

Facts and Fallacies about Plastic Bags

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.Slide8

Facts and Fallacies about SB270 Plastic Bag Ban

The $0.10 - $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 NGO’s who work full time in Sacramento

in the Senate and Assembly. Slide9

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 bagSlide10

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 Usage

Energy Consumption

TransportationSlide11

Vested Interest

Do I have a vested interest in being against SB270? Yes, because we employ 320 people today that weren’t 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 don’t carry reusable bags to work and then to the store with them. I am not so naïve 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.Slide12

Q&A

I learned a long time ago that it is difficult to change people’s 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!