We’re environmentalists: America’s haphazard plastic bag bans are not working 

If you’ve visited a grocery store in the last year, chances are high that you saw single-use plastic bags swapped for another reusable bag (also made with plastic, but we’ll get to that later). Or maybe your local grocery store hasn’t even made this trade-off, despite the law stating they must do so. On your walk home from that very store, you probably saw plastic bags still littered along the street.  

This is all part of the current problem with single-use plastic bans on bags, straws and takeout containers across the U.S. They are disjointed and, for the average person, pretty confusing to understand — which is why they’re not working.  

It’s commendable that states have taken the initiative to develop these bans, but they ultimately highlight the urgent need for national coordination in addressing plastic pollution in a way that has a long-term impact. 

These bans aren’t new. Over the last few years, 10 states — California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington — have implemented varying forms of statewide bans on single-use plastic bags, with Colorado and Rhode Island joining the plastic reduction earlier this year. Beyond states, more than 500 cities and towns across 28 states had a plastic bag ordinance in effect. 

Clearly, there is at least some public and political will to turn off the plastic tap. The issue? The nature of fragmented bans renders these efforts ineffective, failing to achieve the desired reduction in plastic waste. 

So what can we do? Listen to what matters to people most. 

To drive meaningful change, it is critical that business executives, policymakers and nonprofit leaders work with civil society to implement scalable and easy-to-understand, single-use plastic reduction solutions. 

The impact of regulating plastic bag usage in California is a cautionary tale of the challenges in combating single-use plastic pollution solely through localized bans. Despite California’s progressive efforts, recent findings reveal an unexpected rise in discarded plastic bags since the implementation of the 2014 statewide ban. According to a report by CALPIRG, the tonnage of discarded bags per 1,000 people has increased from 4.08 in 2014 to 5.89 in 2022, underscoring the limitations of regulatory measures that overlook industry responses and consumer behaviors. 

Plastic bag manufacturers quickly adapted to the ban by introducing thicker “reusable” bags, which, despite being technically compliant, do not align with the intended spirit of the law. This shift created a loophole that perpetuates the use of plastic bags and hinders meaningful progress in reducing plastic waste. 

Efforts are underway to address these loopholes and industry practices through new legislation banning thicker plastic bags from grocery and large retail stores. However, the responsibility for meaningful change extends beyond individual habits to encompass systemic shifts within the plastic manufacturing and retail sectors. 

The challenges of plastic recycling as a whole in the United States — where only 5 percent of plastics are properly recycled — underscore the urgent need for comprehensive solutions that transcend localized bans. 

Single-use plastics persist in the environment and most peoples’ everyday lives — and unfortunately, break down into microplastics that permeate ecosystems and even human tissues, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of our plastic consumption habits. This in and of itself is not news; the statistic saying people eat the equivalent of one credit card per week in microplastics is commonly known. 

Beyond humanity, it’s a stark fact that 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic pollution every year — something that will only increase with increased pollution. 

But what can be done to prevent this when the scalability of recycling programs is not quite there? 

While systemic change is imperative, individual actions also play a crucial role in mitigating plastic pollution. Critical to individual impact is not laying the onus of waste reduction on the consumer. We must collectively advocate for cohesive, national strategies and systemic plastic manufacturing changes prioritizing sustainability over convenience, empowering consumers and businesses to make informed choices that safeguard our environment. 

Consumers should not bear the burden of reducing plastic waste — corporations and governments must provide consumers with options that will reduce it. What consumers can do is collectively advocate. 

While the goal is to empower consumers, we must communicate with our federal legislators that they play a critical role in making change. We call upon Americans to contact your representatives and let them know you want a national, unified solution to plastic pollution — starting with plastic bags. 

One example is the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, which would phase out single-use plastics and shift the burden of waste management from taxpayers to plastic producers, among other things.  

It’s time for a coordinated national approach to combat plastic pollution. By establishing consistent guidelines and regulations at the federal level, we can empower consumers and businesses to make meaningful choices that protect our environment and preserve our planet for future generations. 

Brad Liski is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Tru Earth. Lasse Gustavsson is the president and chief executive officer of the global conservation organization Ocean Wise.