New laws in California ban disposable propane canisters and plastic carryout bags

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Lake Tahoe was at the forefront when the city council banned the use of plastic single-use carryout bags in 2013. Grocery shoppers could bring their own bags, the preferred method, but many just ended up buying the thicker, stronger plastic bags or paper bags.

The State of California also had a single-use plastic bag ban but it has been blamed for making matters worse due to a loophole - the thicker bags that grocers could charge customers for.

According to CalRecycle, the state’s recycling agency, during the year the California ban took effect, in 2019, there were nearly 100,000 more tons of plastic grocery and merchandise bags dumped into landfills than the year before the ban, or 231,072 tons.

In theory, the heavier bags were reusable. But in practice, they became a more substantial form of waste.

That is about to change.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2026, customers at most grocery stores, convenience stores, and other retailers will have three main options: Pay at least 10 cents for a paper bag; use a reusable bag; or hand-carry their purchase.

Starting in 2028, stores’ paper bags will be required to be composed of at least 50 percent post-consumer recycled materials.

The single-use propane canister ban is being applauded by park and campsite staff across the state. Starting in 2028, all one-pound cylinders sold in the state must be reusable or refillable.

According to NPR, the canisters that are popular with campers have long been a headache for park rangers as they sometimes end up littering campgrounds and dumpsters in state parks after hikers head home. Disposing of the cylinders properly can also be dangerous and expensive - up to $65 per canister. Yosemite has exclusively sold refillable cylinders since 2020.