California Governor Jerry Brown signed the single-use plastic bag bill this morning, making California the first state to pass this law. It restricts grocery stores, drug stores, and convenience stores from distributing single plastic bags and will charge a minimum of 10 cents for paper and re-usable bags. The ban will take effect on July 2015 for large grocery stores and a year later for all remaining stores.

One hundred and twenty seven cities and counties have already adopted the policy, including Los Angeles and San Francisco.

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Policy Analyst Sue Vang from California Against Waste says there has already been a reduction of waste on the streets and in coastal areas.  

“For nearly 10 million Californians, life without plastic grocery bags is already a reality," said Vang. "These bag bans reduce plastic pollution and waste, they lower bag cost at the grocery stores and we’re also seeing job growth in California with facilities that use better alternatives." 

The bill not only reduces pollution, but also seeks to protect and create green jobs by creating incentives for plastic bag manufacturers to make reusable bags.

Reach Staff Reporter Iqbal Al-Sanea here.