California protesters target South Carolina plastic bag company

A South Carolina plastic bag manufacturer is being targeted by West Coast environmentalists over the company’s efforts to keep the bags legal in California.

Protesters from the San Francisco area are expected to demonstrate Wednesday morning at the Novolex Corp. headquarters in Hartsville. They are upset with the company’s push to prevent a state plastic bag ban from taking effect in California. Environmentalists said they will unfurl a large banner blasting Novolex for its involvement in California.

Novolex, praised by South Carolina lawmakers as a good corporate citizen, employs more than 6,000 people at about 40 sites in North America. It markets an array of products, including plastic bags like those used by shoppers in grocery stores. A major division is Hilex Poly.

Spokespeople for several California green groups, which say plastic bags litter the landscape and hurt wildlife, said people should know how a Palmetto State company is impacting California politics.

In California, plastics companies have spent $5 million to overturn a prohibition on single-use bags, according to media reports. Records show Hilex Poly has contributed at least $1 million to the campaign since early 2015.

“California has been working for a long time on this issue and we consider ourselves to be leaders in environmental protection,’’ said Cyril Manning, who is with Save the Bay, which has offices in Oakland and claims 50,000 members.“It’s really disheartening to have out-of-state actors come in and try to influence our elections and overturn the protections we’ve put in place.’’

Novolex did not comment on the protest, but issued a statement late Tuesday afternoon saying the bag ban in California is misguided – and so are those who favor the ban. The company said prohibitions on plastic bags have “harmful economic and environmental impacts.’’ The company, which said its products can be recycled, said Novolex’s South Carolina operations contribute $107 million to the state’s economy.

Complaints about Novolex wouldn’t be the first by environmental groups pushing to ban single-use plastic bags. Last spring, the S.C. Legislature discussed a bill that would have made it more difficult for local governments to ban plastic bags in the Palmetto State. Environmentalists say the company was among the leaders of the failed legislative effort that cranked up after the Isle of Palms instituted a local ordinance.

Officials with the state Sierra Club and the S.C. Coastal Conservation League said they support efforts of the California environmental groups.

Renewed efforts to limit bag bans are expected next year in the Legislature. On the flip side, legislation also is being considered to institute a statewide plastic bag ban.

State Rep. Eric Bedingfield, R-Greenville, said he wasn’t impressed that California protesters are criticizing a South Carolina company. Bedingfield led efforts for legislation in South Carolina that would have limited local government prohibitions.

“I think they ought to fly back to California and find something to protest there,’’ he said after hearing about the protesters’ plans. “They have a constitutional right to go anywhere they want to protest. But I know this company here in South Carolina is a good corporate citizen and employs our South Carolinians and pays taxes.’’

Bedingfield said people worried about plastic grocery bags can ask for paper when they check out.

Single-use plastic bags are convenient ways for shoppers to carry groceries after a trip to the store. But they are blamed for trashing the environment and threatening marine life, such as sea turtles. The rare reptiles mistake floating bags in the ocean for jellyfish and eat the bags, which can kill them. The bags also are major sources of litter, conservationists say.

Save the Bay and Clean Water Action California are among the environmental groups fighting to keep in place a ban on single-use plastic bags approved by California lawmakers two years ago. The law has been delayed from taking effect because corporations have gotten a referendum on the ballot next month. The referendum would effectively nullify the California Legislature’s action.

This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 5:37 PM with the headline "California protesters target South Carolina plastic bag company."