ATLANTA \u2014 Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced that he was joining a 17-state coalition in suing the State of California.<\/p>\n
Along with the National Association of wholesaler-Distributors, 17 attorneys general are suing California over its recently passed Plastics Act.<\/p>\n
The Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, the Plastics Act of 2022, sets what Carr\u2019s office calls \u201cextensive requirements on manufacturers, distributors and companies that package or ship products in plastic containers or use other types of packaging materials that merely incorporate plastics.\u201d<\/p>\n
The law includes products that incorporate plastic, not just fully plastic containers, meaning items that are packaged in aluminum, cardboard, paper, glass and wood, according to Carr\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks<\/a>]<\/p>\n The attorney general said the law will lead to increased costs for consumers, making basic needs more expensive for everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cCalifornia has no right to tell us how to manage our businesses here in Georgia, and yet that\u2019s exactly what the Plastics Act attempts to do,\u201d Carr said in a statement. \u201cThis is an unconstitutional mandate from West Coast elites, who are fine with asking everyday Americans to pay more just so they can advance an activist agenda. It\u2019s regulatory overreach, and we\u2019re fighting back to protect Georgia producers and consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n TRENDING STORIES:<\/p>\n The NAW and attorneys general that are suing California allege the law violates both the U.S. Constitution and the California Constitution.<\/p>\n \u201cCalifornia is not entitled to pronounce nationwide policies,\u201d Eric Hoplin, President and CEO of NAW, said. \u201cBecause the Act extends California\u2019s regulatory reach far beyond its borders and brings within its sweep conduct wholly unconnected to California, the Act violates principles of federalism, the horizontal separation of powers, and due process.\u201d<\/p>\n Carr\u2019s signing onto the lawsuit adds Georgia to the list of other states, including Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.<\/p>\n The attorney general\u2019s office said the Plastics Act\u2019s provisions has minimal oversight and would let the Circular Action Alliance, a private organization, collect potentially as much as $500 million from businesses trying to participate in California\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n The CAA was chosen by the State of California to administer the Plastics Act programs to manage collections for the act\u2019s provisions and disburse the funds to the state in a 10-year period.<\/p>\n \u201cAdditionally, the PRO must remit to the state $500 million each year, starting in 2027 and ending in 2037 to be placed in the California Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund,\u201d CAA says on their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, in order for the non-profit to manage the collections, the Plastics Act requires they select board members to oversee the work. <\/p>\n A public hearing and comment period is required before this process concludes. Public comment is open through Aug. 14.<\/p>\n Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the California Governor\u2019s Office and California Attorney General for comment on the lawsuit.<\/p>\n