Statement: California Assembly approves bill to tackle wasteful plastic packaging from online shopping

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. –The California State Assembly passed legislation (AB 2026) with a 41-26 vote Thursday evening to reduce the unnecessary use of plastic packaging in online shopping. If approved by the California Senate and signed by the Governor, this would be a first in the nation law aimed at limiting single-use plastic waste generated from online shopping. 

Online shopping has expanded over the pandemic, and plastic waste has expanded along with it. In 2020 alone, the e-commerce industry generated an estimated 600 million pounds of plastic waste in the United States, and 2.9 billion globally. With the continued growth of online shopping, plastic packaging from e-commerce is estimated to double by 2026

Most single-use plastic packaging used to ship online purchases is not recycled, but rather breaks into pieces in the environment. Microplastics are now showing up in species ​​across the planet from fish to birds and polar bears. 

Environment California State Director Laura Deehan issued the following statement:

“Our ocean and coastal wildlife can breathe a sigh of relief that the California state assembly decided to take action to cut plastic pollution from e-commerce before more of it flows into our rivers, streams and beaches. 

“California can continue our environmental leadership by becoming the first state to reduce this wasteful use of plastic. Thanks to the California legislature for taking this step and we are eager to get it over the finish line in the Senate and signed into law.“

 

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