To the editor: Los Angeles handed a ban on grocery store plastic luggage in 2013, which the state adopted with its ban a yr later, preempting L.A.’s ordinance. However the state model had an modification lobbied for by the plastics trade permitting thicker plastic luggage to be bought, marketed as reusable. This created an environmental catastrophe. (“Governor signs California plastic bag bill into law,” Sept. 22)
Have you ever ever seen somebody convey these rip-off “reusable” luggage again? I haven’t. It has been estimated that plastic bag waste despatched to landfills has elevated by greater than 40% for the reason that bag ban was handed.
It took 10 years for the Legislature to beat the lobbying energy of the plastics trade and shut this horrible loophole. Billions of plastic luggage will now be faraway from the waste stream, not inflicting hurt as they break down into micro-plastics. Oceans, rivers, marine life and finally people who ingest them can be higher protected.
Bravo to the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Paul Koretz, Los Angeles
The author, a Metropolis Council member from 2009-22, authored Los Angeles’ bag ban.
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To the editor: Though I couldn’t agree extra with the intent behind banning all plastic grocery luggage, I concern the state will nonetheless fail to satisfy its purpose.
There are far too many shops providing plastic luggage — Residence Depot is only one instance. It has single-use plastic luggage at its check-out registers free of charge. Sporting items shops, clothes shops, just about all shops that aren’t grocers, together with our native farmer’s market, provide plastic luggage.
To actually make a distinction, plastic luggage ought to be withheld in any respect retail shops, together with eating places that bag up leftovers. All of us must do our half to cut back the usage of plastic.
Susan Cossaboom, Yorba Linda
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To the editor: So, the reusable plastic luggage for which we paid 10 cents apiece are actually unlawful. They aren’t simply recyclable.
What concerning the plastic and polystyrene that the meats and different merchandise which are wrapped in? They aren’t recyclable.
What about all of the polystyrene that producers and fast-food shops use to package deal their merchandise? What about all of the plastics which are used to package deal soaps, cleaners, solvents, oils and different gadgets?
Deliver your used luggage (that you simply bought) again to the shop to allow them to be recycled? Most simply find yourself again in a landfill.
Let’s simply return to free paper luggage. Cease nickel-and-diming the general public.
Mike Hayashi, Ladera Heights
