As if straws and plastic bags weren’t enough, California has taken its war against plastics yet another step – by outright banning hotels from offering toiletry items in plastic bottles.
As of January 1 2023, hotels with more than 50 rooms will officially be prohibited from providing their guests with items like shampoos and conditioners in small plastic bottles of less than 6 oz. The new law carries fines of up to $500 for the first offense, and $2,000 for each violation after that.
The Hill reports the bill’s author, California Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D), said the move is about “making California the first state in the country to accelerate more sustainable alternatives in hotel and lodging industry.”
“We have reached a tipping point for action and more needs to be done that transitions consumers and businesses towards more sustainable alternatives,” Kalra said. “And given our state’s large presence in tourism, this will be a model for the nation.”
While California lawmakers were busy forcing hotels to discontinue handing out plastic bottles of soap, the state is continuing to face a homeless crisis in many of its major cities, widespread power outages to mitigate wildfire risks, and new reports showing only about 1 in 3 California public school students are meeting basic math requirements.