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C-1/24/2020
R- yes it does agree with my claim
A- Jennifer Shutz/ Kim Tyrell
A- Nope no errors
P- it teaches

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State legislatures have considered a number of measures to reduce the prevalence of plastic bags at grocery stores and other businesses.

Reducing bag use can mitigate harmful impacts to oceans, rivers, lakes, forests and the wildlife that inhabit them. It can also relieve pressure on landfills and waste management.

While some states are focusing on implementing effective recycling programs, others are imposing bans or fees to discourage the use of plastic bags altogether.

Bans and Fees

Eight states-California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon and Vermont-have banned single-use plastic bags.

In August 2014, California became the first state to enact legislation imposing a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags at large retail stores. The bill also required a 10-cent minimum charge for recycled paper bags, reusable plastic bags, and compostable bags at certain locations. The ban was set to take effect on July 1, 2015, but a referendum forced the issue onto the ballot in the November 2016 election. Proposition 67 passed with 52 percent of the vote, meaning the plastic bag ban approved by the Legislature remains the law. A detailed summary of the law can be found below. Voters also rejected a second measure, Proposition 65, which proposed to create an environmental fund with proceeds from a 10-cent charge for alternative bags.

Hawaii has a de facto statewide ban as all of its most populous counties prohibit non-biodegradable plastic bags at checkout, as well as paper bags containing less than 40 percent recycled material. Bans in Kauai, Maui and Hawaii counties took effect between 2011 and 2013, with Honolulu becoming the last major county to approve the ban in 2015.

New York became the third state to ban plastic bags in 2019 with passage of Senate Bill 1508. The law, which goes into effect March 2020, will apply to most single-use plastic bags provided by grocery stores and other retailers. Bags distributed at the meat/deli counter and bulk food area are exempt, as well as newspaper bags, trash bags, garment bags, bags provided by a pharmacy for prescription drugs, and restaurant takeout bags. The law allows individual counties the option of placing a 5-cent fee on paper bags, with 2 cents going to local governments and 3 cents to the state's Environmental Protection Fund.

Five other states enacted legislation in 2019-Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Oregon and Vermont. In addition to plastic bags, Vermont's SB 113 also placed restrictions on single-use straws and polystrene containers.

In 2009, the District of Columbia enacted legislation requiring all businesses that sell food or alcohol to charge 5 cents for each carryout paper or plastic bag.

Recycling Programs

States have a long history of pursuing legislation related to labeling, recycling, and reusing plastic bags. In 1991, Maine became the first state to enact legislation requiring recycling efforts at retail stores. The law prevents retailers from supplying plastic bags unless they provide a convenient storefront receptacle to ensure used bags are collected and recycled. Since then at least four other states-California, Delaware, New York and Rhode Island-and the District of Columbia have followed suit.

Legislation Summary

State lawmakers have introduced at least 95 bills in 2019 related to plastic bags. Most of these bills would ban or place a fee on plastic bags. Others would preempt local government action or improve bag recycling programs.

2011 CA S 567

Enacted

Prohibits the sale of plastic products labeled as compostable, home compostable, or marine-degradable unless it meets standard specifications. It provides for a civil penalty for a violation.

2019 HB 130

Enacted

Expands upon the existing at-store recycling program regarding the use of single-use plastic bags and limits stores subject to the program from providing single-use plastic bags for only specific uses.

2019 HB 1115

Enacted

Prohibits a retail establishment from providing single-use carryout bags at the point of sale or otherwise making the bags available to customers, with exemptions for certain types and uses of plastic and paper bags.

2017 HB 56

Enacted

Repeals the eight-year ban on the use of plastic bags by retailers on the Outer Banks.

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State legislatures have considered a number of measures to reduce the prevalence of plastic bags at grocery stores and other businesses.

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C-April 3, 2019, 2:32pm
R-yes it does agree with my claim
A- Jeff J. Mitchell
A-Nope
P-it lets you know

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In some countries, people face jail time for using plastic bags. Here are all the places that have banned plastic bags and straws so far.

The average lifespan of a plastic bag is 12 minutes.
Getty Images / Jeff J. Mitchell

New York state lawmakers have approved a state-wide plastic bag ban, which will go into effect in March 2020.

Similar bans are already in effect in California, Hawaii, and more than 32 countries. Some places tax plastic bags in lieu of a ban.

Shoppers use 500 billion single-use plastic bags worldwide every year.

These bags typically end up in landfills or the ocean. More than 100,000 marine mammals get entangled in plastic bags and die annually.

Other cities and companies have also banned single-use plastic straws.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York legislature have approved a new fiscal budget that includes a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags.

When the ban goes into effect on March 1, 2020, New York will become one of three US states that doesn't allow these bags. (The others are California and Hawaii.)

"The convenience of plastic bags is simply not worth the environmental impact," New York State Assembly speaker Carl Heastie told the Associated Press. "By reducing our state's usage, we will see less litter in our communities and less plastic pollution in our waterways."

Shoppers worldwide use some 500 billion (yes, billion) single-use plastic bags annually. That's roughly 150 bags per year for every person on Earth, according to the nonprofit group Ocean Crusaders. Strung end-to-end, that's enough plastic to circle the globe 4,200 times.

On average, a plastic bag has only a 12-minute lifespan, according to Reusethisbag, an organization that sells sustainable grocery bags.

Most bags wind up languishing in landfills, where they can remain for up to 1,000 years. Some make their way into the ocean.

Another type of single-use plastic — straws — are also being phased out in some places. In the US, 500 million straws are used daily. But California has banned restaurants from serving customers plastic straws unless they ask, and Seattle has axed them as well.

About 8 million tons of plastic enters the ocean every year on average, though the maximum amount could be closer to 14 million tons.

Read More: Sobering photos show what a week's worth of plastic looks like for typical families around the world

Plastic bags that wind up in the ocean entangle and kill roughly 100,000 marine mammals each year. Recently, a pregnant sperm whale washed up dead on the shores of Sardinia with nearly 50 pounds of plastic in its stomach. Less than a month earlier, another dead whale was found to have ingested 88 pounds of plastic.

But while only three US states have taken steps to ban plastic bags, they're already banned in 32 countries. Here are the cities and nations around the world that are tackling the growing threat of single-use plastic.

Most countries are taking the threat of plastic pollution seriously. According to a U.N. report, 127 countries had implemented some type of policy regulating plastic bags by July 2018.

The first regulatory measures targeting plastic bags were enacted in the early 2000s.
Mike Blake/Reuters

The report showed that 27 countries have also enacted some type of ban on other single-use plastics like plates, cups, straws, or packaging.

Small island states have been disproportionately more likely to enact bans on single-use plastics, the report noted.

These efforts to cub plastic pollution aim to reduce the harm that plastic does to marine ecosystems and wildlife. The amount of plastic in the ocean could triple in the next decade.

Discarded toys are seen amongst trash, on a beach near the high-income Costa del Este neighbourhood in Panama City September 10, 2013.
REUTERS/Carlos Jasso

Plastic bags, straws, and tiny plastic pieces called microplastics collect in giant ocean garbage patches, the largest of which is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This trash-filled vortex is more than twice the size of Texas.

Whales, in particular, are at extreme risk from plastic pollution.

A whale is lifted up onto a truck after being recovered off Sardinia island, Italy. The 26-foot-long sperm whale was found dead with 48.5 pounds of plastic found in its belly.
SEAME Sardinia Onlus/AP

Whales and other animals appear to be confusing plastic items for food and consuming them. This can lead to behavioral changes, strangulation, and death in marine animals.

The pregnant sperm whale that washed up dead this week in Sardinia with 50 pounds of plastic in its belly was one of at least five whales that have died from plastics around the world in the last two years, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

The first country to ban plastic bags was Bangladesh, which enacted the rule in 2002.

A woman dries plastic bags for recycling on the banks of Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 23, 2007.
Rafiqur Rahman/Reuters

The country imposed the ban after officials discovered that the bags had blocked Bangladesh's drainage system during devastating floods, the BBC reported.

Nearly two decades later, dozens of countries — including France, India, Mali, the Republic of the Congo, Morocco, and Papua New Guinea — also have bans in place.

Trash washed up by the sea litter the beaches in Prestwick, Scotland, March 22, 2005.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Italy, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and French Guyana do, too.

Kenya has the strictest plastic bag ban of all. The punishment for breaking the law is up to four years in jail or fines up to $40,000. Rwanda has a strict policy as well.

A woman recycles plastic bags from a river near the Dondora dump site, close to Nairobi, Kenya.
Thomson Reuters Foundation/Reuters

Kenya's ban, enacted in April 2017, is touted as the world's toughest law aimed at reducing plastic pollution. Kenyans producing, selling, or even using plastic bags risk imprisonment and fines.

Rwanda has a similar ban; illegal use of the bags can result in fines or jail time. The Rwandan law is so harsh, in fact, that it sparked a plastic bag black market, according to Al Jazeera America.

A Somali terrorist group also banned single-use plastic bags in the areas it controls.

Newly trained al-Shabab fighters perform military exercises south of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP

In 2018, al-Shabab cited the "serious threat" that plastic bags pose to the "well-being of both humans and animals," according to the BBC.

Plastic-bag waste reached such high levels in China that citizens coined the term “white pollution.” The country adopted a full ban in 2008.

Unfortunately, China still struggles to enforce its plastic bag ban.
Muhammad Hamed/Reuters

Since then, plastic bag waste has dropped by between 60-80%, according to Reusethisbag.

In 2018, the city of Montreal banned single-use plastic bags.

Shopkeepers in Montreal were given a few months to adjust to the city's plastic bag legislation.
Shutterstock

First-time offenders could face fines of up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for corporations, GlobalCitizen reported.

The same year, Taiwan announced a plan to enact one of the world's farthest-reaching bans on single-use plastic bags, straws, utensils, and cups.

The experience of eating take-out and shopping for groceries in Taiwan will change in the next decade thanks to the coming plastic ban.
Shutterstock

The ban should be in place by 2030, according to Global Citizen.

New Zealand also announced a plastic bag ban in August 2018.

A view of Lake Wanaka in the Otago region of New Zealand.
Ariel Schwartz/Business Insider

Store owners faced fines of up to 100,000 New Zealand dollars ($67,500 US) if they didn't phase the bags out within six months, New Scientist reported.

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern said that school children wrote to her about plastic more than any other subject.

"We’re taking meaningful steps to reduce plastics pollution so we don’t pass this problem to future generations," she said at a press conference.

New York is slated to become the third US state to enact a state-wide plastic bag ban.

More than 8.6 million people live in New York City — that's a lot people using a lot of bags.
Shutterstock

"With this ban, New York’s waters will be cleaner and safer for marine wildlife," Wildlife Conservation Society spokesman John Calvelli said in a statement. "We look to other states and countries to follow New York’s lead."

Interestingly, Gov. Cuomo and the state legislature blocked a suggested 5-cent tax on plastic bags last year.

But about 200 cities around the country have rules in place that forbid or tax plastic bags.

Boston and Cambridge have plastic bag bans in place.
Galiptynutz/Shutterstock

Those cities include Anchorage, Alaska; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Maine; and Eugene, Oregon.

A US-based website called Ban the Bag helps users track pending and enacted bans in cities and counties.

Hawaii was the first state to ban plastic bags in the US.

Floating debris containment barrier at Pacific Ocean end of Ala Moana Canal in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Phil Augustavo/Getty

But the ban isn't state-wide. Instead, each of Hawaii's five islands individually banned plastic bags at different times; the final ban took effect in 2015, according to Reusethisbag.

California, however, is the US leader in efforts to curb plastic pollution. In addition to the state's ban on plastic bags, it has rules about limiting plastic straws as well.

Before California's state-wide 2016 bag law was passed, more than 100 counties already had bans in place.
Flickr/Davidlohr Bueso

California's state-wide plastic bag ban went into effect in November 2016. The law bans single-use plastic bags and mandates a 10-cent charge for paper bags.

California's new rules about plastic straws went into effect in 2019.

You can still use a plastic straw in California if you want, but you'll have to ask for it.
Grassmemo/Shutterstock

Restaurants are no longer allowed to automatically provide patrons with plastic straws, but can provide customers with straws if they ask. Violations can cost restaurants $25 a day.

The city of Seattle, Washington also banned plastic straws in 2018.

Plastic straws are on display in a shop in Nice, France, November 22, 2018.
Eric Gaillard/Reuters

Businesses there no longer give customers plastic straws or utensils — including forks, spoons, knives, and cocktail picks, according to the Seattle Times.

The European Parliament recently approved a law banning a wide range of single-use plastic items like straws, cotton balls, and cutlery.

European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans (L), delivers a speech during a debate in Strasbourg, France, June 13, 2018.
Vincent Kessler/Reuters

The law was approved on March 29 and will go into effect by 2021.

"Today we have taken an important step to reduce littering and plastic pollution in our oceans and seas. We got this, we can do this," Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Parliament, said in a press release.

Big companies are also taking steps to reduce plastic pollution. McDonald's locations in the UK and Ireland will soon stop giving out plastic straws.

Instead of using plastic straws, McDonald's is phasing in paper straws.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

McDonald’s announced in June 2018 that the company would eliminate plastic straws in all of its UK and Ireland restaurants, and would be phasing in paper straws by September 2018.

Starbucks, too, announced its intention to stop using plastic straws.

Starbucks will be transitioning to a straw-less lid, which will become the standard for all iced coffee, tea, and espresso beverages.
Reuters/Lucy Nicholson

By 2020, Starbucks will eliminate plastic straws from more than 28,000 company-owned and licensed stores around the world.

American Airlines and Alaska Airlines will be banning straws, too.

An American Airlines Boeing 777 jet at New York's JFK airport.
William Perugini/Shutterstock

In May 2018, Alaska Airlines announced that it will "ditch plastic straws in favor of marine-friendly stir sticks."

Two months later, American Airlines said it would follow suit, eliminating straws on flights and in its lounges.

Food-service giant Aramark, which operates in schools, prisons, and hospitals in 19 countries, also hopped on the straw ban bandwagon.

Aramark Tower in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Wikipedia Commons/Sbacle

In July 2018, Aramark vowed to reduce its straw use 60% by 2020, while still making straws available to people with disabilities who need them.

Three hotel companies — Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott — are ditching or curbing the use of straws, too.

The Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow hotel in Moscow, Russia.
Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

So are several theme-park and cruise companies, including SeaWorld Entertainment, Disney, and Royal Caribbean, according to NBC News.

Three months after two of Australia's largest supermarket chains — Coles and Woolworths — banned plastic grocery bags in 2018, the country had cut its plastic bag use by 80%.

A woman walks in the fruit and vegetables section at a Coles supermarket (main Wesfarmers brand) in Sydney, February 20, 2018.
Daniel Munoz/Reuters

That's an estimated 1.5 billion bags saved, according to Australia's SBS News.

Instead of outright bans, some places are trying other incentive strategies. Washington, DC, for example, has a 5-cent plastic bag tax.

Rhode Island residents can drop off plastic bags at local grocery stores for recycling.
Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters

Rhode Island, Delaware, and Maine have bag recycling or re-use programs, according to Reusethisbag.

Bulgaria, Ireland, Denmark, and Sweden all have some type of bag tax as well.

Each Turkish person uses 440 plastic bags annually, far higher than other European countries.
George Widman/AP

According to the Independent, shops in Turkey will soon have to sell bags for a 5-cent fee as well.

Evidence so far suggests that these bans on single-use plastic straws and bags work.

A man tosses a plastic bag over a pile of trash after an event in Singapore, April 28, 2018.
Feline Lim/Reuters

Since San Jose, California enacted a plastic bag ban in 2012, there has been an 89% reduction in plastic bags in storm drains, a 60% reduction of bags in creeks and rivers, and a 59% drop in residential plastic waste, according to Reusethisbag.

San Francisco has saved a reported $600,000 per year in plastic processing fees since enacting its ban in 2007.

And Seattle, which banned bags in 2012, has seen a 48% drop in residential plastic bag waste, and a 76% decline in commercial plastic bag waste. The amount of plastic bag waste in Seattle landfills also dropped by half between 2010 and 2014, Reusethisbag reported.

Keep reading

More: Features Environment Plastic Bags Pollution

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In some countries, people face jail time for using plastic bags. Here are all the places that have banned plastic bags and straws so far.

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New York is the third US state to ban plastic bags. But the concept is already quite popular around the world.

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R- yes it does agree
A- Courtney Lindwall
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P- it teaches

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What Are Single-Use Plastics?

Put simply, single-use plastics are goods that are made primarily from fossil fuel-based chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after use-often, in mere minutes. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags.

Though plastic-a chain of synthetic polymers, essentially-was invented in the mid-19th century, it wasn't until the 1970s that its popularity skyrocketed. Manufacturers began replacing traditionally paper or glass staples with lighter or more durable and affordable plastic alternatives; plastic jugs replaced milk jars, for instance. Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics have been produced, and half of that in the past 15 years alone.

There are many uses for plastic that are not only reasonable but important, such as surgical gloves, or straws for people with disabilities. But these cases make up a small fraction of single-use plastic. According to a 2017 study, more than half of non-fiber plastic, which excludes synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, comes from plastic packaging alone, much of which is for single-use items.

Why Is Single-Use Plastic Bad?

Single-use plastics are a glaring example of the problems with throwaway culture. Instead of investing in quality goods that will last, we often prioritize convenience over durability and consideration of long-term impacts. Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. We produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. That's nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population.

Reducing plastic use is the most effective means of avoiding this waste (and the impacts linked to plastic production and use). Carrying reusable bags and bottles is one great way to avoid single-use plastics in our day-to-day lives; more on preventing plastic waste can be found below.

Recycling more plastic, more frequently, reduces its footprint. Polyethylene terephthalate, one of the most commonly recycled plastics and the material that makes up most water and soda bottles, can be turned into everything from polyester fabric to automotive parts. But a whopping 91 percent of all plastic isn't recycled at all. Instead it ends up in landfills or in the environment. Single-use plastics in particular-especially small items like straws, bags, and cutlery-are traditionally hard to recycle because they fall into the crevices of recycling machinery and therefore are often not accepted by recycling centers.

Left alone, plastics don't really break down; they just break up. Over time, sun and heat slowly turn plastics into smaller and smaller pieces until they eventually become what are known as microplastics. These microscopic plastic fragments, no more than 5 millimeters long, are hard to detect-and are just about everywhere. Some microplastics are even small by design, like the microbeads used in facial scrubs or the microfibers in polyester clothing. They end up in the water, eaten by wildlife, and inside our bodies. They've even made their way up to the secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. For wildlife, microplastics can be particularly dangerous; when eaten they can easily accumulate inside an animal's body and cause health issues, like punctured organs or fatal intestinal blockages.

Single-Use Plastics and Pollution

Although single-use plastic pollution accumulates most visibly on our streets, in fact our water suffers even more. Litter can be the first stage in a waste stream that enters waterways as plastics tossed on the street are washed away by rain or travel via storm drains into rivers and streams. Our waterway plastic pollution is particularly concentrated: Just ten rivers carry 93 percent of the world's total amount of plastic that enters the oceans via rivers each year.

In 2015 researchers from the University of Georgia estimated that between 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic per year make their way into the oceans via people living within 30 miles of a coast. The majority of this pollution-dominated by single-use plastic waste-comes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. India, for example, generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of it. (It's also important to remember that waste management is just one part of the global materials cycle. For instance, a lot of the plastic produced in Asian countries is for products that serve U.S. demand-and the United States often sends plastic waste back to these countries for recycling.)

Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. Beached whales have been found with stomachs full of plastic trash. And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. Alarmingly, scientists estimate that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in 2050. Not only is plastic estimated to kill millions of marine animals and seabirds each year, but it's also contaminating seafood that humans have relied on for millennia, particularly with microplastics in animals' guts.

Our addiction to plastic also has negative impacts on the climate. A recent report showed that plastic production contributes to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions at every point in its life cycle. The process of drilling for plastic's source materials, oil and gas, leads to methane leaking and flaring and is often combined with clearing forests and wetlands that otherwise would have sequestered carbon. Refineries where crude oil is turned into plastic make up one of the most greenhouse gas-intensive industries in the manufacturing sector. And "cracker plants"-which break, or "crack," ethane molecules, a component of natural gas, into the chemical building blocks of plastic products-are energy intensive and highly polluting. In 2015 a mere 24 of these ethane cracker facilities in the United States had the combined carbon output of 3.8 million passenger vehicles. And the recent fracking boom, resulting in a surplus of oil, is fueling a subsequent rise in cracker plants, too. That's bad news for our carbon reduction goals: if plastic production continues unabated, its greenhouse gas emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030 -equal to adding nearly 300 new coal-fired power plants-even as the need to curb global climate change becomes more urgent.

Plastic pollution-whether in our oceans, piling up on our coastlines, or contributing to our climate crisis-impacts vulnerable communities first. Even if plastic doesn't end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. But the sheer amount of plastic waste inundates communities until they are drowning under thousands of tons of plastic trash. This is the case particularly in Southeast Asia, which has begun to import much of the plastic that used to go to China for recycling. Not only does the waste destroy the land itself, but when plastic is incinerated (as is the case for unrecyclable plastic at some illegal facilities) its toxic fumes quickly become a health hazard for residents, leading to everything from skin rashes to cancer. Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back.

Should We Ban Single-Use Plastics?

Plastic is putting a strain on waste management systems, our oceans, and vulnerable communities the world over. A wave of single-use plastic bans is sweeping the country and the globe-most often on plastic bags, straws, stirrers, and takeout clamshells. (Some places are going so far as to ban single-use plastics entirely; most notably, India intends to go this route by 2022.) Among the U.S. cities to outlaw plastic straws are Malibu, Berkeley, Seattle, and Miami Beach. Plastic bag bans-ideally accompanied by a fee on paper bags-are also catching on. New York State and Hawaii just passed theirs, set to go into effect in 2020, and California's bag ban, which was passed in 2014, has been shown to have reduced plastic bag usage by 85 percent (with some customers opting to pay a 10 cent fee for thicker plastic bags) and has reduced coastal pollution.

What do the bans accomplish? They prevent millions of tons of plastic from entering the waste stream each year. And when it comes to waste that lasts forever, every ton counts. In New York, 23 billion plastic bags are used by residents each year. Not only does banning single-use plastic reduce pollution, but it also reduces demand for plastic production that's contributing to global climate change. But beyond these impacts, the bans have cultural effects. Companies are forced to innovate, rethinking their designs and sourcing sustainable materials. And they help shift consumer mind-sets, as people begin to recognize that exorbitant and avoidable waste is not sustainable.

Large producers of single-use plastics can make a big environmental impact. As part of the Break Free From Plastic movement, Greenpeace volunteers conducted an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines, sifting through tens of thousands of individual pieces across 42 countries to identify the pollution's sources. They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé products were found most often. Coca-Cola has said that it alone produces three million tons of plastic packaging each year, equivalent to a terrifying 200,000 plastic bottles per minute. Policies like bottle bill laws-which generally require retailers to add a fee on individual bottles, which can then be partially redeemed by customers when they recycle-are a way to increase corporate responsibility for waste while providing a monetary incentive to recycle. In Taiwan, which was once overflowing with so much trash that it spurred public protest and the nickname "Garbage Island," companies now either manage their own waste or subsidize government-run infrastructure. Accompanied by high social accountability and musical garbage trucks, that strategy has proved wildly effective: the island now reports recycling rates above 50 percent.

Some companies are taking initiative on their own. McDonald's swapped its plastic straws for paper at its United Kingdom and Ireland restaurants. Disney is eliminating single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all its theme parks, resorts and properties. And Starbucks, which uses an estimated one billion plastic straws per year, is phasing them out in favor of paper ones. These actions are a response to calls for change and shifting consumer habits.

Avoiding Single-Use Plastics

Individual choices -and the collective shifts they bring about-add up quickly. Making just one simple swap, like purchasing a reusable water bottle, can spare the environment hundreds of plastic bottles each year. Here are a few more tips for ridding your life (and your community) of single-use plastics for good.

Always pack a reusable bag when shopping. (And yes-reusable totes are better for the environment than plastics, recent media claims aside.)

Cook more often, to reduce your use of plastic-heavy takeout containers.

Buy in bulk. Avoid individually packaged goods, like snack packs.

Though buying online sometimes has a lower carbon footprint than shopping in a store (skip the express delivery option, if you can), online shipments are still chock-full of plastic. Your best bet to reduce your footprint and plastic waste? Walk, bike, or take public transit to buy in-person.

Avoid plastic wrap altogether by storing leftovers in reusable containers. Try reusable and compostable beeswax wrap for an easy and decorative option.

Buy a metal or bamboo reusable straw. Pack it alongside reusable cutlery (like wood, bamboo, or metal chopsticks) for sustainable eating on the go.

Talk to the owners of the restaurants you frequent. Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags.

Speak out in support of local plastic bans, whether by calling your local government representative, submitting an op-ed to your city's newspaper, or simply starting conversations with neighbors.

Let companies that make your favorite products know that you care about the packaging. Tweet, call, or send letters to these companies to ask them to switch to more durable, recyclable, compostable, renewable, and/or recycled-content packaging with less fossil fuel-derived plastic.

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Here's everything you need to know about the most ubiquitous (and avoidable) kind of plastic waste: the kind made to be tossed in mere minutes.

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According to the Ocean Conservancy , 8 of the top 10 contributors to aquatic trash are single-use plastics like bags, bottles, cups and lids, straws, and plates. When businesses decrease the number of disposables they give to customers, they can help reduce waste, beautify local beaches, and protect the wildlife that support tourism - all while saving money and helping their businesses thrive.

Effective policies broaden these opportunities for the entire community to reap the benefits of source reduction. Developing a written policy within your organization or enacting legislation in your community are effective approaches because everyone must participate. Legislation also levels the playing field - so responsible businesses are never at a disadvantage to their competitors.

This section provides legislative options for you to consider. PSI found the laws below to be strong examples of what state and local governments around the country are enacting to reduce packaging waste, particularly plastics. PSI developed these potential samples based on actual legislation (noted in each case). The specific language used may not necessarily reflect the views of PSI, and no official endorsement should be inferred. Over time, best practices will emerge, and PSI will monitor and promote them.

Get in touch with your local Chamber of Commerce, business groups, or environmental organizations to discuss the potential for introducing and supporting legislation that will best meet your goals. Encourage municipal, county, and state-level policymakers to consider these strategies. You may replicate and adapt the sample language for your jurisdiction's unique needs.

Require Foodware to be Recyclable or Compostable

Several cities have begun requiring all foodservice ware to be recyclable or compostable. In effect, this bans conventional plastic straws and utensils because they are neither.

Carryout Bags

Laws to eliminate or reduce plastic bags are on the rise. At the time this toolkit was published, plastic bags were already banned in two states and hundreds of towns and cities.
Ban single-use plastic and place 10 cent fee on other bags
The ban ensures that conventional plastic is never used, while the 10 cent point-of-sale fee causes consumers to bring reusable bags. In this sample, retailers keep the fee.

Sample policy (5 cent fee): (Word) (PDF)

Sample policy (10 cent fee): (Word) (PDF)

In some communities, where a ban is not politically feasible, even a small fee will make people think twice. In the 5-cent sample, retailers keep the fee. In the 10-cent sample, the money is split between retailers and the government, which may use the funds for environmental programs.

Polystyrene (including "styrofoam")

Banning polystyrene foodware is becoming widespread. More than 100 local governments across the U.S. already restrict it.

Straws, Stirrers, and Utensils

Communities in California, Florida, Washington, and New Jersey are implementing bans on plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery. Non-plastic alternatives may be provided only upon request.

Update: To provide accessibility options for individuals who need to use a plastic straw for medical reasons, any business that provides non-plastic straws must make plastic straws available by request, no proof of disability required.

"The simple straw seems to be a pathway to enlightenment regarding waste prevention. When a person, business, or government goes through the steps of eliminating the wasteful distribution of plastic straws and utensils that are unwanted and unneeded, it opens a new awareness of how irresponsible we have been. It opens the door to "what's next, what else can we do?" -- Sego Jackson, Seattle Public Utilities, WA

Bottled Water
Prohibit the purchase of packaged water with public funds
Such policies are in place in dozens of cities and states/provinces in the U.S. and Canada. This type of ban saves taxpayers money and frees funds for greater public benefit.

Ban water in single-serve containers 1 liter or less

This type of policy is newly emerging among towns in Massachusetts. After a ban, create a "tap map" online and display it in public areas to show people where they can refill their own bottles.

When released or lost, balloons harm wildlife just like bags and other plastic pollution. These policies are emerging in coastal states like Florida and Rhode Island.

Prohibit outdoor balloon releases
Ban the sale and use of all balloons
Polystyrene, PVC, and PETE

Bans three toxic food packaging plastics in one ordinance. This model was drafted by the Massachusetts Chapter of the Sierra Club for Brookline, MA. The ordinance passed in May 2018.

Require Reusable Foodware for Onsite Dining

This ordinance requires eateries with dishwashing capacity to provide reusable foodware for dine-in customers.

At the time this toolkit was published, the City Council of Berkeley, CA was considering the draft Disposable Foodware and Litter Reduction Ordinance, the most ambitious and comprehensive piece of municipal legislation in the U.S. aimed at reducing single-use disposable foodware. The ordinance stipulates that:

1) Only reusable foodware may be used for dine-in service,

2) All takeout foodware must be approved as recyclable or compostable in the City's collection programs,

3) Food vendors must charge customers $0.25 for every disposable beverage cup and $0.25 for every disposable food container provided, and

4) Disposable compostable straws, stirrers, cup spill plugs, napkins, and utensils for take-out may be provided only upon request by the customer or at a self-serve station.

5) The City will no longer grant licenses to businesses without dishwashing capacity.

For more information, please contact PSI's Sydney Harris.

This project is funded by an agreement (I96275701) awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC).

Although the information in this document has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under agreement I96275701 to NEIWPCC, it has not undergone the Agency's publications review process and therefore, may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred. The viewpoints expressed here do not necessarily represent those of NEIWPCC or U.S. EPA nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or causes constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

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According to the Ocean Conservancy , 8 of the top 10 contributors to aquatic trash are single-use plastics like bags, bottles, cups and lids, straws, and plates. When businesses decrease the number of disposables they give to customers, they can help reduce waste, beautify local beaches, and protect the wildlife that support tourism - all while saving money and helping their businesses thrive.

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C-August 27,2019
R-yes it does agree with my claim
A-Matthew Zeitlin
A-No errors
P- it teaches

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The policy: Plastic bag bans and taxes

Where: In more than 400 states and cities in the US

In place since: 2007
The problem:
Plastic bags are forever. The thin sacks that hold our groceries, toothpaste, and takeout meals have little hope of being recycled, and instead just might be reused as liners for our trash cans or containers for our dogs' waste, after which they find themselves either blown into storm drains and rivers or hopelessly clogging landfills. According to one 2009 estimate, some 100 billion of these bags were used a year in the United States and somewhere between 500 billion and 1.5 trillion worldwide.
How it worked:
More than 400 laws and ordinances across the country ban or tax plastic bags, according to Jennie Romer, an attorney at the Surfrider Foundation and a leading advocate and expert on plastic bag policies. The bans actually started outside the United States, with Bangladesh banning them countrywide in 2002 and Pakistan announcing recently that it, too, will ban single-use plastic bags. "Our slight change in habits will do miracles for future generations," one politician wrote.

In the United States, bans were spurred by a wide range of environmental groups, especially those concerned with oceans and waterways like the Surfrider Foundation. Plastic bags and other plastic products can easily wind up in rivers, storm drains, and oceans, creating massive floating patches of garbage and threatening marine life. (Activists are already moving on from plastic bags to encouraging bans on plastic straws and foam food containers.) California passed the first statewide ban in 2014, after several local governments had already banned single-use plastic, including San Francisco, which did so in 2007.

While a straightforward ban may seem like the most effective way to stop people from using plastic, researchers and consultants suggest another strategy is working better: a tax on all non-reusable bags, which may or may not be combined with an outright ban on some plastic.

That's because straightforward bans can lead to skyrocketing use of paper bags or thicker plastic that's allowed because it's considered reusable. While paper bags do not have the unique environmental downsides of single-use plastic (they can be recycled more easily and they don't blow around as much), the processing of paper can be environmentally nasty. California's ban, which also places a 10-cent tax on paper or reusable bags, is one of the most extensive in the nation, while all of Hawaii's counties have passed laws that ban single-use bags, with some also tacking on a tax as high as 15 cents on other bags.

This has led to some backlash, including lawsuits from the plastics industries and efforts to roll back the laws. More than a dozen states, typically more conservative ones like Oklahoma or Mississippi, have passed laws that preempt local bag policies and put the question of taxes or bans solely in the hands of the state legislature.

Chicago banned thin plastic bags in 2015, but it allowed stores to use thicker plastic bags that could ostensibly be reused. "When that ban went into effect, the retailers' response was that 'Our customers want plastic, we can't offer thin, let's just start offering thick plastic bags," said Tatiana Homonoff, an assistant professor of economics and public policy at New York University who has studied the plastic bag laws. The resilience of stores giving their customers some kind of plastic bag, she says, was "an unintended consequence of leaving close substitutes unregulated." Chicago soon scrapped that policy and by February 2017 had implemented a new law: a 7-cent tax on all checkout bags.

"That's where we see big changes in disposable bag use," Homonoff said.

A study of the law by Homonoff and researchers at the University of Chicago and consulting firm ideas42 found that after the new policy went into effect, "Customers were much less likely to use a disposable bag, and switched to reusable bags or no bags at all." Before the tax, about 80 percent of Chicago consumers used disposable bags and fewer than 10 percent used no bags at all. In the year after it went into effect, "the tax led to a large decrease in the proportion of consumers using a disposable bag, with roughly half of consumers switching to reusable bags while the rest opted for no bags at all."

According to Homonoff's research in both Chicago and Montgomery County, Maryland, "very small financial incentives can lead to big behavioral change," she said. The fact that small fees, 5 or 7 cents, can lead to a big reduction in disposable bag use suggests that a sizable portion of the population is perfectly happy to use a reusable bag or not use a bag at all, and need just the smallest push to get there. Homonoff said that in her surveys, people would tell her, "I have a reusable bag in my car. Now I bring it into the store and actually use it."

"As long as there is a fee component in place, that really drives people to not want to get that bag," Romer said. "You see people walking out with something pressed under the arm."

In Montgomery County, which implemented a 5-cent bag fee, the portion of customers observed by researchers at eight stores in the county who used disposable bags went from 82 percent to 40 percent, while the number of bags per trip also fell, according to Homonoff's research. Beyond any environmental effects, these policies also seem to be changing the culture around single-use plastic, which many people know is environmentally damaging but still need a slight nudge to change their behavior. Alongside the bans, there's been a surge of public awareness of the persistence of plastic waste and the folly of recycling it.

And these policies have real effects downstream - literally. San Jose, California, implemented its Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance in 2012, which included a ban on single-use plastic and a 10-cent fee for paper, and found dramatic decreases in "bag litter" in the city's creeks and waterways. "The litter surveys demonstrated a reduction in bag litter of approximately 89 percent in the storm drain system," a city environment and transportation committee report read, "60 percent in the creeks and rivers, and 59 percent in city streets and neighborhoods, when compared to data collected from 2010 and/or 2011 (pre-ordinance) to data from 2012 (post-ordinance)."

What drove the decrease in litter wasn't just more people using more reusable bags - although that happened - but also a rise in using no bags. Reusable bag use jumped from about 4 percent of bags, the city said, to 62 percent, while the portion of people who used no bag doubled, and the average number of bags used per customer fell from three to fewer than one.

The Ferguson Foundation, a Washington, DC-area nonprofit group that organizes cleanup efforts in and around the Potomac River, found that after DC implemented a 5-cent fee in 2010 on single-use bags, the number of plastic bags removed by volunteers dropped by almost three-quarters.

But the preferred policy of the advocates and researchers isn't being implemented everywhere. After the New York City Council approved a 5-cent fee for all takeout bags, the state legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo killed it before later passing a statewide law that banned plastic and allowed individual counties to impose a tax on paper.

"From what we've seen in other cities, it's not going to be particularly effective," Homonoff said of the New York law, as opposed to a tax on all takeaway bags. Romer, who worked on previous attempts to implement plastic laws in New York City, described the new law as "disappointing." While New York City is following through by taxing paper, it is not required across the state, which means that outside the city, municipalities might allow for unlimited and untaxed paper bag usage, thus not encouraging overall bag usage to go down.

"We really want people to not get a bag at all if they're getting an item or two, or bring their own bag," Romer said. "I like visiting California to see that that works."
Correction: Matthew Zeitlin is a writer in New York. An earlier version of this story misstated that an estimated 500 million to 1.5 trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide. It should be 500 billion.

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Do plastic bag taxes or bans curb waste? 400 cities and states tried it out.

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The policy: Plastic bag bans and taxes Where: In more than 400 states and cities in the US In place since: 2007 The problem: Plastic bags are forever.

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C-24/10/18
R-yes
A-N/A
A-no
P-shows you

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C- April 19,2019
R-yes
A-Megan O'neil Melle
A-Nope
P-shows us

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C- June 16, 2018
R- Yes
A- Global news
A-Nope
P-Shows us

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Plastic pollution crisis: How waste ends up in our oceans

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C- Oct  23,2014
R-Yes
A-National Geographic
A-No
P- lets us know

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Are You Eating Plastic for Dinner? | Short Film Showcase

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C-N/A
R-yes
A-N/A
A-Nope
P-shows up

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C-September 16,2019
R-yes it does
A-Carolyn Kormann
A-only one
P-shows us

# data[].attributes.body
C- September 24, 2018
R- yes it does
A-Simon Reddy
A-None
P-show us