California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced settlements with four plastic bag manufacturers and filed lawsuits against three others, following a statewide investigation into whether these companies’ products met California’s recyclability standards.
The investigation focused on compliance with Senate Bill 270, which bans single-use plastic grocery bags but allows thicker, reusable bags that are certified as recyclable in the state. The Attorney General’s office also cited possible violations of the Environmental Marketing Claims Act, the False Advertising Law, and the Unfair Competition Law.
The seven companies involved supply billions of plastic carryout bags to grocery retailers across California. According to the Attorney General’s office, despite claims on their labels, these bags generally do not appear to be recyclable in California as required by SB 270.
Four companies—Revolution Sustainable Solutions LLC, Metro Poly Corp., PreZero US Packaging LLC, and Advance Polybag Inc.—have reached settlement agreements totaling $1.75 million. This includes $1.1 million in civil penalties and $636,250 for attorneys’ fees and costs. These settlements are pending court approval.
The other three companies—Novolex Holdings LLC, Inteplast Group Corp., and Mettler Packaging LLC—are now facing lawsuits seeking monetary penalties, repayment of profits, and injunctive relief.
“At the California Department of Justice, we have been unwavering in our commitment to exposing illegal actions at the root of the plastic pollution crisis — not just the environmental harm, but corporate legal violations driving it,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Through our investigation, we are bringing to light how powerful companies have broken the law and prioritized profits over our environment. The consequences of these violations are severe: Billions of plastic carryout bags end up in landfills, incinerators, and the environment instead of being recycled as the bags proclaim. Our legal actions today make it clear: No corporation is above the law.”
The investigation began in November 2022 when Bonta requested documentation from bag producers to support their recyclability claims and use of recycling symbols. As part of this process, a survey was conducted among 69 recycling facilities statewide; only two reported accepting plastic bags for recycling, but neither could confirm that any were actually recycled. The state concluded that most facilities do not accept or process plastic bags for recycling.
