California bans small plastic bottles in hotels

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Wednesday that he signed legislation into law banning hotels from distributing small plastic bottles to guests filled with personal products like shampoo, conditioner or soap. 

The ban will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023, for hotels with more than 50 rooms, and it will take effect one year later for hotels with fewer than 50 rooms. “Small plastic bottle” is defined as a plastic container with less than a 6-ounce capacity, according to new law.

Violators can be fined $500 for a first offense and $2,000 for further violations.

{mosads} California Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D), who authored the bill in the California Assembly, said in a Thursday press release that he was proud to have authored the legislation “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.”

The move was also backed by the California Hotel and Lodging Association, Kalra tweeted.

Thank you Governor @GavinNewsom for signing #ab1162 to ban single use toiletry bottles in the hotel industry! This bill moves us one step closer to phasing out single use plastic in our society. Thank you to California Hotel & Lodging Association for the support. @AssemblyDems pic.twitter.com/sTCVHWs7z2

— Ash Kalra (@Ash_Kalra) October 10, 2019

The law comes after some of the world’s largest hotel chains already vowed to phase out the plastic bottles. Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel chain, announced in August that it will discontinue single-use bottles of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel at its 7,000 properties around the world.

Holiday Inn and InterContinental Hotels also announced that they would scrap mini plastic bottles earlier this year for their more than 800,000 guest rooms. 

The Hill has reached out to Newsom’s office for comment.