Researchers find that nationwide policies to ban plastic bags may be paying off, with fewer showing up during coastal cleanups.

A study published in Science Journal found that plastic bag policies, such as bans and fees, have been effective in reducing plastic bag litter by 25-47% and potentially protecting wildlife from en… ...

Maybe you have been annoyed by the extra charge to get a plastic shopping bag, but a new study shows the policies actually help clean up shorelines.

A recent study reveals that plastic bag bans are effective in reducing litter, especially in areas where they were previously prevalent.

It’s been more than a decade since California enacted a soft ban on single-use plastic bags at grocery stores and other businesses.

If these results hold true on a wider scale, expanding plastic bag bans or fees would continue to decrease plastic bag litter and potentially protect wildlife from becoming entangled in human trash.

An out-right ban of plastic bags would require enabling law by the Virginia legislature. Fairfax County implemented its Plastic Bag Tax Ordinance just three years ago, on Jan. 1, 2022.

The researchers found that plastic bag policies led to a 25% to 47% decrease in plastic bags as a share of total items collected in shoreline cleanups relative to areas without policies.

New Jersey's 2022 single-use plastic bag ban has significantly reduced plastic waste. A proposed bill (A-5153/S-3711) seeks to fund a reusable bag program for low-income residents. The program ...