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Good news: Bag bans are reducing billions of single-use plastic bags

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Good news: Bag bans are reducing billions of single-use plastic bags

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This source explains how single-use plastic pollution is being greatly reduced in places with bag bans.

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This background showed me the author's credentials and background for the article; "Good news: Bag bans are reducing billions of single-use plastic bags".

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Here, I found some information about Environmental America's initiatives and mission to determine credibility.

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This source provides examples as to how bag bans pose a threat to human health and cause more overall pollution.

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Thirteen states across the country have enacted bans on "single-use" plastic bags, with upwards of 500 cities doing the same. More could be on the way.

Environmental groups claim that these bags are difficult to recycle, contaminate oceans and therefore our food source, and can take 1,000 years to biodegrade. According to the Sierra Club, we could be ingesting up to a credit card's worth of plastic every week.

States and municipalities began passing bills in order to cut down on plastic waste, with the idea that forcing consumers to alter their shopping habits would somehow save the planet. Plenty of organizations tout these bans as a success. But data suggests otherwise.

Market-research organization Freedonia Group recently reported that New Jersey's plastic consumption has tripled since their ban went into effect in 2022. The non-woven polypropylene bag customers purchased as an alternative not only use 15 times more plastic but is a material not widely recycled in the United States.
CALIFORNIA PLASTIC BAG BAN LED TO MORE PLASTIC WASTE, CONSUMER ADVOCACY GROUP CLAIMS
The increased manufacturing of this material for bags contributed to a 500% increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. And plenty of them are ending up in landfills, completely counterproductive to what is trying to be accomplished.

New Jersey residents have been buying quite a few of these alternative bags, either because they forget them at home, or they are increasingly using grocery delivery and pickup options which require purchasing them with each order. The retailers are raking in profits. A typical store can make $200,000 annually per location from these bag sales.

On the West Coast, California's bag-banning failure is not going unnoticed. The New York Times reported that last year that the Golden State threw away more plastic bags, by weight, than when the law first passed. And the Los Angeles Times reported that the tonnage of discarded plastic bags had jumped 47%. Even accounting for changes in population, the number rose from 4.08 tons per 1,000 people in 2014 to 5.89 tons per 1,000 people in 2022.
BLUE STATE'S BAG BAN MEANT TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT BACKFIRES AT STAGGERING RATE: STUDY
Apparently, California left a loophole in its legislation, allowing for thicker reusable plastic bags to be purchased with the intent that they would only account for a small percentage of sales and would be re-used multiple times. Such was not the case. These heavier bags still ended up in landfills, in large quantities, and taking up even more space than their thinner predecessors.

New Jersey thought they had learned from California's mistake by eliminating any such loophole, yet their plans still backfired.

But loophole or not, when single-use bag regulations are in place - whether by total elimination or fees - sales of plastic trash bags significantly increase. This is because people often reuse single-use grocery bags as trash liners. And when that option is no longer available to them, they are forced to purchase actual trash bags.
US GROCERY CHAIN ELIMINATING PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS FROM ALL STORES
Then there is the safety issue.

It has been found that the reusable bags purchased by customers can be contaminated with bacteria. A 2011 study discovered various harmful bacteria in 99% of the reusable bags tested; all the disposable bags in the sample came out clean. In 2012, nine members of a soccer team contracted a virus from coming into contact with a reusable bag that had been stored in a bathroom.

These reusable bags tend to travel, from public transit to restrooms to unkempt homes. And then they are brought back into stores that sell items the public puts in their mouths. The whole practice is not exactly sanitary.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
The extra expense is brutal, too. Consumers are already burdened with the highest inflation we've seen in decades. Charging them per plastic bag or forcing them to purchase the multi-use totes on top of already high grocery bills can place an additional financial hardship on many Americans.

Numerous life cycle assessments of single-use plastic bags versus alternatives demonstrate that the thin, single-use bags require less energy and water to manufacture and produce less pollution and less solid waste in landfills than alternatives. Plastic bag bans are not beneficial for the environment.

Studies show that the biggest polluters of plastic waste come from Asia, particularly China. The U.S. only contributes a mere 1%. While that is perhaps 1% too much, for the significant size and population, the U.S. has relatively good waste management.

Instead of placing bans on plastics, policy should focus on improving all waste management strategies from coast to coast. Particular attention should be placed on assisting our allies overseas who have not developed proper and effective ways to accomplish this task.

In the meantime, let consumers decide which grocery-toting method works best for their needs.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM KRISTEN WALKER

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Plenty of environmental organizations tout these plastic bag bans put in place by states and municipalities as a success. But data suggests otherwise.

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This website gave me more information about Kristen Walker's background and credibility, the author for "Why plastic bag bans are failing".

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Here, I found more information about FOX News' mission statement and credibility.

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FOX News Media offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.

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Anne Arundel County plastic bag ban to take effect Monday

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Anne Arundel County plastic bag ban to take effect Monday

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This source provides only facts about a plastic bag ban in Anne Arundel County and why its taking effect.

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Anne Arundel County plastic bag ban to take effect Monday

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Anne Arundel County’s new plastic bag ban will officially take effect on Monday. Shoppers had conflicting opinions of the new policy.

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About. Environment America. (n.d.). https://environmentamerica.org/about/.

ACI Staff. The American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research. (n.d.). https://www.theamericanconsumer.org/about/aci-staff/.

Celeste Meiffren-Swango. Environment America. (n.d.). https://environmentamerica.org/people/celeste-meiffren-swango/.

Donaldson, J. (2023, December 28). Anne Arundel County plastic bag ban to take effect Monday. WBAL. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/anne-arundel-county-plastic-bag-ban-takes-effect-monday/46243403.

FOX News Network. (n.d.). About. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/about.

Jacobsen, S. (n.d.). Plastic Bag Pollution. Los Angeles; LA County Public Works.

Jenyne Donaldson. WBAL. (n.d.). https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/c56d8444-a3bd-4059-97e9-6e2cfa2056da.

Meiffren-Swango, C. (2024, February 9). Good news: Bag bans are reducing billions of single-use plastic bags. Environment America. https://environmentamerica.org/articles/good-news-bag-bans-are-reducing-billions-of-single-use-plastic-bags/#:~:text=Save%20the%20bees-,Good%20news%3A%20Bag%20bans%20are%20reducing%20billions%20of%20single%2Duse,and%20associated%20litter%20and%20pollution.

Walker, K. (2024, March 1). Why plastic bag bans are failing. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/why-plastic-bag-bans-failing.

WBAL. (2012, April 15). TV station history: Celebrating decades as Baltimore’s voice. WBAL. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/wbal-tv-station-history-celebrating-60-years/7073629.

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This gave a little more background on the author for the article; "Anne Arundel County plastic bag ban to take effect Monday".

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Jenyne Donaldson co-anchors11 News weekend mornings alongside Jennifer Franciotti and reports for 11 News at 4pm, 5pm, and 6pm during the week.

Jenyne is a 2010 graduate of Morgan State University and is excited to be back in her second home. She was born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia where she began her news career with KYW as an assignment editor, earning an Emmy for her role as part of the team which won for News Excellence in 2013.

Jenyne joined Baltimore's WBAL-TV in October 2022 after covering major stories across the country as a national correspondent for Black News Channel. She also worked as a correspondent for WNET covering politics in New Jersey.

Jenyne began her on-air career in 2013 as a Reporter in Wichita Falls, Texas. She then moved to Columbus, Georgia, where she worked for WTVM as a breaking news anchor and reporter. She continued her career in Charlotte, North Carolina, with WJZY as a reporter and fill-in anchor. During her time there, Jenyne worked with a team, earning several awards including a 2016 Emmy for Spot News - Charlotte Protests Team coverage, a 2017 Edward R. Murrow Award for Breaking News Team Coverage, and a N.C. Association of Broadcasters Award for Outstanding Hard News or Breaking News Story.

Jenyne is most proud of a series she produced and reported where she launched an international search for a kidney donor to save an Army veterans life, the two still speak regularly.

In her spare time, Jenyne enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling and binge-watching TV shows.

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Jenyne Donaldson co-anchors11 News weekend mornings alongside Jennifer Franciotti and reports for 11 News at 4pm, 5pm, and 6pm during the week. Jenyne is a 2010 graduate of Morgan State University and is excited to be back in her second home.

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TV station history: Celebrating decades as Baltimore’s voice

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TV station history: Celebrating decades as Baltimore’s voice

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This helped me determine that WBAL-TV was credible because it gave some history about the station.

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WBAL-TV station history: celebrating decades as Baltimore’s voice

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On March 11, 1948, WBAL-TV 11 introduced itself to Baltimore from its downtown headquarters on North Charles Street. The station, which now sits on Television Hill, continues its well-established “Live.Local.Latebreaking.” brand while maintaining its original mission of providing its community with quality entertainment and informational programming and superior news reports.

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This source describes how detrimental plastic bags are to the environment.

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This explores the varying responses to the bag ban.