California rings in the new year with a sweeping change that will touch nearly every household: a full ban on plastic grocery bags. While the state first outlawed single‑use plastic bags in 2014, a loophole allowed stores to offer thicker versions that were meant to be reused. They weren’t. State agencies found that those bags were rarely reused and nearly impossible to recycle, ultimately creating more waste than before.

Under SB 1053, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024, those thicker plastic bags will now be banned as well, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The law applies to grocery stores, big‑box retailers with pharmacies, convenience stores, food marts, and liquor stores. Many stores — including several across Kern County — have already begun phasing out plastic bags ahead of the deadline.

The environmental stakes are clear. Los Angeles County officials note that plastic bags break down into toxic micro-particles that contaminate soil and waterways, entering the food chain. That’s a concern that resonates locally, where Kern County’s agricultural regions depend on clean soil and water. Globally, the world produces an estimated 360 million to 400 million metric tons of plastic waste each year, according to Statista.

The state is also cracking down on misleading claims. In October, Attorney General Rob Bonta sued three plastic bag manufacturers for allegedly marketing their products as recyclable when, in fact, they are not.

For shoppers, the shift will be noticeable. Only paper bags — which are recyclable but more expensive — will be available at checkout. Smaller independent stores may pass some of those costs on to customers. Industry leaders say the long‑term solution is simple: bring your own reusable bags. As Nate Rose of the California Grocers Association put it, the familiar “paper or plastic” question is disappearing, and the push toward reusable totes is here to stay.

This ban won’t solve the global plastic crisis on its own, but it finally closes a loophole that undermined the state’s earlier efforts. For Kern County families already seeing the shift in local stores, embracing reusable bags is a small change that can make a meaningful difference — one grocery trip at a time.