addressing the issue at the source

Breaking our reliance on single-use plastic is a complicated issue requiring multiple solutions. Although we encourage the individual to reduce their plastic consumption, the problem ultimately needs to be fixed at the government and manufacturing level. Sea Hugger is working with innovators and activists to stop the plastic tide!

Bills we support

Sea Hugger is joining other environmental organizations to support the following bills.  You as an individual can take action by signing a related petition or contacting your state representatives directly, and letting them know you care about a specific issue and why.  Be sure to include the name of the bill and whether or not you support it in the title and be sure to mention you are consitutant and indicate where you live.  You can find your representative here:   https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

AB 2253 — Making "Recycled" Mean Something

If a product says it contains recycled material, that material should actually be in the product. AB 2253 closes a loophole that allowed companies to purchase recycled material offsets instead of using real recycled content, meaning brands could label a product as recycled without changing a single thing about how it was made.

The new law requires that recycled content claims reflect physical material in the product, backed by documentation proving it was diverted from the waste stream. It aligns California with FTC standards, defines postconsumer content accurately and ensures that "recycled" finally means what people think it means.

AB 1448 — Closing the Loophole on Offshore Drilling

California has fought hard to keep new offshore oil drilling out of our waters, but a dangerous gap in the law has left our coastline vulnerable. Oil companies could use existing aging infrastructure to support new federal drilling projects, including the same heavily corroded Sable pipeline responsible for the devastating 2015 Refugio oil spill, one of the worst environmental disasters in California coastal history.

AB 1448 closes that loophole. The bill prohibits the use of existing infrastructure to support new federal offshore oil and gas development, requires stronger environmental and safety review before any lease renewals or transfers and tightens California's ban on offshore drilling in state waters.

Our coast has already paid the price for loopholes like this one. AB 1448 makes sure it never has to again.

AB 1148 — Getting Toxic Chemicals Out of Your Food Packaging

The packaging your food comes in should not be a source of harm, but for millions of Californians it is. Phthalates and bisphenols are chemicals commonly found in food packaging and consistently linked to hormonal disruption, developmental harm and serious long term health impacts. They leach into food. They accumulate in the body. And for too long they have been legal.

AB 1148 bans both from food packaging in California. It is one of the most direct things the state can do to protect human health, reduce toxic waste and ensure that what touches your food does not poison it.

Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act: California Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund

California's landmark plastic pollution law just got stronger. This amendment tightens the management of the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund, which collects fees and penalties from producers to fund local cleanup and conservation efforts. It also closes a loophole that allowed companies to claim recycled content without actually using it. Under the new law, if a product claims to contain recycled material, that material must physically be in the product with documentation to prove it was diverted from the waste stream. It aligns California with FTC standards and ensures that "recycled" finally means what people think it means.

AB 2734 — Making the Whale Tail Plate Count

Every year Californians purchase the Whale Tail license plate because they want to support coastal access and education. It is one of the most popular specialty plates in the state and the intention behind it is beautiful. The problem is that most of that money has not been going where people think it is.

AB 2734 fixes that by directing Whale Tail plate revenue to actually fund the coastal programs it was created to support. If you have ever bought a Whale Tail plate or thought about it, this is the bill that makes it mean something.

AB 1744 — Making Reef Safe Actually Mean Reef Safe

If your sunscreen says reef safe, it should actually be reef safe. Right now there is no legal standard for that claim, which means brands can print it on any bottle regardless of what is inside. Chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate have been shown to bleach coral, disrupt marine ecosystems and accumulate in ocean sediment, and they are still showing up in products marketed as ocean friendly.

AB 1744 creates a clear, science-based standard: only sunscreens using mineral active ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide may carry reef safe marketing claims. It closes a loophole that has allowed brands to profit from environmental claims that meant nothing, and gives consumers the transparency they deserve when they are trying to do right by the ocean they love.

AB 762 — Banning Disposable Vapes in California

Disposable vapes are one of the fastest growing sources of plastic and toxic battery waste on our beaches and in our communities. Unlike rechargeable devices, disposable vapes are designed to be thrown away after a single use, sending plastic casings, lithium batteries and electronic components straight into our waste stream and far too often onto our shorelines.

AB 762 would prohibit the import and manufacture of new or refurbished disposable battery-embedded vaping devices beginning January 1, 2027, with a full sales ban taking effect January 1, 2028. Less plastic, less toxic waste and cleaner coastlines for all of us.