Sacramento, CA - June 28, 2018 - Today the California Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, Assembly Bill 1838 which would preempt local governments from levying fees and taxes on soda and other groceries. As has been widely reported, Coke, Pepsi, and other members of the American Beverage Association signed this backroom deal with California legislators in exchange for withdrawing a ballot measure that would make all local taxes require a ⅔ vote. In addition to prohibiting so called “Soda Taxes,” the legislation would also prohibit any charges on grocery packaging. Local fees and deposit systems have proven to be a successful tool in reducing waste, and have been used effectively by local jurisdictions for the past three decades. Members of the #breakfreefromplastic movement have expressed strong condemnation of this legislation:
“Threatening funding for local police, firefighters, parks, roads and public transit to force the legislature to prohibit residents from having a say on soda taxes or fees on packaging is not only an underhanded move by Big Soda, but it is also a perversion of our initiative process. The public has been clear that they want manufacturers to bare the cost of their impacts on our personal health and the health of our planet, and we urge local governments to stand up to this corporate bullying and use all the tools in their toolbox to achieve these goals.” - Nick Lapis, Director of Advocacy for Californians Against Waste
"This bill will obstruct local efforts of groups working hard to deal with the plastic pollution crisis. This is just one more attempt by big industry to silence community activism - but the tide is turning on plastic pollution, and this is one issue that we fully expect to win." - Anna Wagner, Los Angeles-based Senior National Organizer, Greenpeace.
“This bill is an egregious example of big soda exerting undue financial influence to try and prevent municipalities from protecting the health and well-being of our communities. As a movement, we plan to support local governments to oppose this going forward –as we believe strongly in a democratic process that puts people and planet over profits.” - Anna Cummins, Global Strategy Director for 5 Gyres
“This beverage industry today has silenced the voice of local communities and pre-empted them from incorporating health and environmental costs into the cost of their products. This is shameless and sets a bad precedent. Local communities should not be held hostage to industry giants, like Coke and Pepsi, in addressing costs to public health and the environment from products like sugary beverages or plastic packaging.” - Miriam Gordon, Policy Director, UPSTREAM
“Taking away the right of local communities to regulate top forms of litter is an affront to democratic principles and the authority of local government. The everyday citizen loses when corporations, special interests and state lawmakers interfere in local law-making to protect communities from litter, pollution and blight.” - Angela T. Howe, Esq., Legal Director, Surfrider Foundation
Break Free From Plastic is a global movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution. Since its launch in September 2016, over 1,200 groups from across the world have joined the movement to demand massive reductions in single-use plastics and to push for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis. These organizations share the common values of environmental
protection and social justice, which guide their work at the community level and represent a global, unified vision. www.breakfreefromplastic.org.
Contact: Shilpi Chhotray
Senior Communications Officer, #breakfreefromplastic
shilpi@breakfreefromplastic.org, 703.400.9986 (mobile)
