Single-Use Bag Laws

Single-Use Bag Laws in the U.S.

Carrie M. Skuzeski
Linfield College

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Table of Contents

Preface..3
Abstract....8
Essay....9
Introduction..9
Where single-use bag policies have been enacted in the U.S....10
Various policy options to reduce plastic-bag use .....10
Plastic-bag bans ........10
Single-use bag fees .......11
Plastic-bag recycling programs......12
The plastics industrys opposition.....14
A national plastic-bag ban and 10-cent paper-bag fee is the solution...15
Conclusion.....18
References..20

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Preface

It was a sunny day in late August. I was sitting in the Renshaw media lab, unaware that in
the not so-distant future it would become my second home, surrounded by the other students in
my colloquium group. My advisor was none other than Professor Thompson and my studentadvisor was the lovely Louise Winsnes. It was our very first day of college, so Professor
Thompson left the lab to let us curious 18-year-olds interrogate Louise. After we transcended the
Whats Linfields party scene like? questions, we navigated toward speaking about the Mass
Communications major. After all, we were placed in that colloquium because we expressed
interest in majoring it. Except for a few random people, including myself, who had no idea what
they wanted to do. When Louise finished confessing what she thought was the most difficult
class was in the major, she peeked around at us to see if she had accidentally scared us and
caused us to want to march outside to Renshaw Ave., start running away from Linfield and never
look back. Maybe we were too nervous to look like sissies. Or perhaps people were pleased that
Louise had honestly answered, There are people to party with if thats what you want to do,
but we all stayed glued to the cushioned office chairs. Louise had explained what Information
Gathering was. And the moment she finished, my exact thoughts were: There is no way I am
majoring in Mass Communications.
As sad as it may have been, that I almost let one class ruin the idea of a major, my
terrified thought stuck with me. I came from a high school that had pushed me a minimal
amount. The longest paper I ever wrote was 16 pages, which at the time I thought was tough.
Therefore, when I heard 100 pages, come from Louises lips, the deal was sealed. Until I took
Introduction to Mass Communications with Professor Sivek that following January term. And the
more I looked into media studies, the more I contemplated majoring in it. After speaking with

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various professors and sizeable amount of deep thought, I discovered I was passionate and
curious enough about mass communication to pursue a major in it. But I carried the instilled fear
of Information Gathering with me.
When I was visiting a friend in Alaska this summer we went on a boating excursion led
by Mrs. Peevey. She was the mother of Katrina Peevey a Mass Communications major who
graduated from Linfield in 2010. When I explained to Mrs. Peevey what my major was and
which classes I was taking the next year, she proceeded to gush about Katrinas experience in
Information Gathering. Her gushing wasnt comforting, but a letter that Katrina emailed to her
mother that same night to give to me, was. Katrina had taken it upon herself to write me a 3-page
information-gathering survival guide. It was a gracious thing to do, and it ended up giving me the
confidence to confront the class without fear. And that feeling lasted, for a bit. Information
Gathering is one of the most notorious classes on campus. Truly the bark of this class is worst
than the bite. I wish I hadnt given into the hype of the big, bad, scary Info Gathering before the
semester. Regardless, here I am. I made it. Im officially an Information Gathering survivor. In
hindsight, I dont think about it as a class. A better word for it, in my opinion, is a
metamorphosis. Cheesy, but true in a writing sense.
Starting to write a paper is usually one of the hardest parts about the entire process.
Planning the structure, knowing which direction to take the paper, etc., are always daunting
obstacles I wrestle with. This is one reason I am grateful for my experience in Information
Gathering. It proved to me that writing is a learning process. You have to research and find the
various pieces to the puzzle. Then, the only way to assemble those pieces is to start assembling
them. When Professor Thompson says You never know what you think until you write it, I
completely agree. I only knew which direction my research would take my paper until I wrote it

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in front of me. Also, before the class, I was not familiar with APA or AP style. I would not say I
am an expert on using them, but pretty close as a sophomore college student could be.
Its truly a strange bond that the others in my class developed over the semester. All we
needed to do was exchange glances in the library, and it wasnt necessary to have to verbalize:
Yes, I have no life. And neither do you. But it was the positivity and support of my classmates
that helped me survive the semester. The countless hours I spent in the library or in Renshaw
were usually not alone. I had my mini support squad with me nearly at all times. That squad
typically consisted of the other students involved with The Linfield Review, but I worked with
every other student in the class at some point. Whether it was editing each others papers or
asking how to cite a government document, we all helped each other. I never encountered
someone unwilling to help. It was heart-warming how every one looked out for each other and
offered advice. I must offer a sincere thank you to all of the other students in the class.
Particularly, I must thank my best friend Sarah Jo Mason. I do not mean to play favorites, but
without her unrelenting assistance and love these past three months it would have been a much
rockier road.
On that same accord, I would like to send inordinate amounts of gratitude toward my
other friends, roommates and family. After my immeasurable refusals to hang out, I am surprised
I still have friends left. However, I seem to have chosen the right friends because they are still by
my side and celebrating my ascent from the info-gathering hole. My parents never failed to give
excellent advice when I carped about my woes. My roommates were so understanding this
semester, that they loved me even when I forgot to do the dishes or take out the trash. All of my
loved ones gave me perspective on my situation, and reminded me who I was even when I was
so sleep-deprived I nearly forgot my own name.

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Undoubtedly, Professor Thompson and Susan deserve many thanks for their help
throughout Information Gathering. One could argue that it was unfair for them to make me write
100 pages about plastic bags. Yet I strongly beg to differ because their instruction allowed me to
grow tenfold as a person, student and writer. Each class period I tried to be a sponge and soak up
every bit of the knowledge they offered. Admiring and wanting to learn from those wiser than
myself are inherent characteristics of mine. Therefore, I never hesitated to appreciate the advice
or information they provided during class. I learned so much more about the world, in a
professional sense and many others, in addition to researching and writing techniques.
A very long, enthusiastic round of applause should be directed to Information Gathering
survivors from years past. I am extremely grateful for previous students examples of various
assignments. It was useful and enlightening when students who took the class last year visited
ours to discuss their experience. I cannot count how many times I asked random questions about
AP style and time management to such students. Many were willing to edit and email copies of
their warm-ups to me. Most importantly, these students gave me advice and confidence when I
needed it most. Cassidy Davis, Sara Miller, Jerry Young, Shelby and, most of all, Kelsey Sutton:
I am not sure Ill ever be able to properly repay you.
Finally, the writing center, the library and even campus public safety deserve mass
amounts of appreciation. I am surprised our class did not force all of the writing-center
employees to quit. Yet the degree to which we ran their services dry, was how willing they all
were to be helpful and supportive. The library is full of workers who helped me find books, log
on to computers, use research databases and fix the printer. Namely Courtney Terrey, Justyne
Treist and Shelby (again) must be thanked. It amazes me how willing people are to help.
I do not mean to sound dramatic. This class was by no means horrific. It was very doable,

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it just pushed me to new limits. Because of it I feel prepared to take on any class Linfield has to
offer, except the math and science courses because I am studying communications for a reason.
And now I, along with the group I fondly regarded this spring as my fellow info-gather-ers,
can breathe a little easier. Most importantly we can carry the mass amount of skills and
knowledge we acquired this semester with us. We can write confidently knowing the rules of
grammar, punctuation and AP style. We can feel proud of our expertise on diverse subjects
ranging from GMOs, violent video games and many more. No longer will the requirement of indepth research leave us shaking in our boots. And when our professors assign us 10-page
papers, we can look at the hand-out prompt and chuckle (in the privacy of our own rooms,
respectfully). Now we have evolved into beautiful, researching and writing butterflies; and can
fly out into the warm air to enjoy the most anticipated summer of our young lives.

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Abstract

Plastic bags have been praised for being cheap, thin and durable since they were introduced in
the U.S. in 1976. Consumers in the U.S. use an estimated 102 billion plastic bags every year.
Such heavy consumption poses countless threats to the environment. It has inspired
environmental groups, especially those determined to reduce ocean pollution, to solve such
issues. These groups have encouraged local governments to implement laws reducing the use of
single-use bags. These laws requirements differ from one another and are randomly located in
the U.S. The policy options commonly include bans, fees and recycling programs. There are
varying perspectives regarding these policies. Consumers have become accustomed to using free
single-use bags at retail stores. The owners of retail stores do not wish to inconvenience
customers or experience increased costs from implementing the policies. The plastics industry
has used its role in the economy and abundant resources to fiercely oppose plastic-bag policies. It
has prevented governments at the national, statewide and municipal level from enacting such
policies. Regardless, the consumption of single-use plastic and paper bags must be decreased in
the U.S. A national plastic-bag ban and 10-cent paper-bag fee would provide a uniform law for
all consumers and retailers to follow. It significantly reduces the environmental impact of singleuse bag consumption. It also promotes other sustainable policies and changing the disposable
culture in the U.S.

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Introduction

Traditional plastic shopping bags are products of the petrochemical industry. They are
made from high-density polyethylene and were introduced in the U.S. in 1976. Plastic bags are
so cheap and easy to produce that they have become the most heavily used consumer item in the
world. Between 500 billion and 1 trillion bags are used every year throughout the world. U.S.
citizens consume approximately 102 billion plastic bags annually (Doucette, 2011). Such heavy
plastic-bag consumption has created grave environmental issues.
Plastic-bag production in the U.S. requires nearly 12 million barrels of oil or natural gas
each year. The lightweight, aerodynamic structure of plastic bags allows them to be easily carried
by the wind to become litter. Such litter threatens to clog storm drains and pollute land and water
resources. It also harms wildlife that become entangled in the bags or mistake the bags for food
(Romer, 2007). The terrible truth to plastics, including plastic bags, is that they never biodegrade.
After approximately 1,000 years, plastic bags photodegrade into minuscule pieces that remain in
the environment forever (Clapp & Swanston, 2009). The consequences of plastic-bag use have
triggered environmental activists to wage war against the bags. San Francisco was the first city in
the U.S. to ban plastic bags in 2007. Since then, countless local governments have followed suit
and sought to eliminate single-use bags (McCarter, 2008).
This paper will review where single-use bag laws have been implemented in the U.S. It
will also examine the various types of single-use bag policies that have been adopted. It will
discuss the plastics industrys role in campaigning against such policies. This paper will conclude
that a national policy reducing single-use bag consumption must be adopted. The U.S.
government should implement a national plastic-bag ban and 10-cent paper-bag fee that includes
an education campaign about single-use bag waste and encourages the use of reusable bags.

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Where single-use bag policies have been enacted in the U.S.

The U.S. government has not addressed plastic-bag consumption as a national issue.
Many believe there are more pressing federal concerns to resolve (Scafa, 2013). The plastics
industry is an important part of the economy and provides many jobs for U.S. citizens. It has
engaged in a fierce campaign to thwart single-use bag laws. Its strong structural presence has
prevented national or statewide bans from being implemented (Clapp & Swanston, 2009).
Therefore, city and county governments have imposed single-use bag policies. There are more
than 200 of these policies enacted throughout the U.S. (Doucette, 2011).
The most prominent organizations opposing plastic bags are those seeking to diminish
marine debris. Some of these groups are Heal the Bay, the Clean Seas Coalition and the Surfrider
Foundation. Plastic bags are a known contributor to the Pacific garbage patch, which is an area
in one of the five ocean gyres that has collected more than 3 million pounds of trash (Freinkel,
2011). During the 2009 International Coastal Cleanup, there were 1,126,774 plastic bags
gathered. Additionally, the cleanup discovered 49 marine animals entangled or trapped by the
bags (Romer & Foley, 2012). Concern for the ocean has caused these environmental groups to
help campaign for the passing of single-use bag laws in local governments.
Various policy options to reduce plastic-bag use
Plastic-bag bans
After San Francisco implemented a ban on plastic bags, many other local governments in
the U.S. considered enacting a ban (Doucette, 2011). Bans effectively decrease the
environmental impact of plastic bags. Bans decrease litter, landfill waste and the consumption of
resources. Reduced plastic-bag litter decreases ocean pollution and threats to marine life. It also
benefits governments that are forced to clean up litter using costly efforts (ICF International,

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2010). Bans are ideal because they are simple to implement within governments and
straightforward enough that consumers easily understand how to comply (Brendle Group, 2012).
The major drawback of plastic-bag bans is that they inadvertently cause consumers to use
paper bags, which are worse for the environment than plastic bags. After San Francisco enacted
its 2007 ban, the consumption of paper bags quadrupled to 85 million (Freinkel, 2011). Plastic
bags use less fossil fuels and 1.8 to 3.4 percent less energy to produce than paper bags. Paper
bags emit more greenhouses when they are manufactured and contribute more to the solid waste
stream than plastic bags (Chaffee & Yaros, 2007). Many consumers consider bans inconvenient.
Bans prevent consumers from using plastic bags for secondary uses such as lining trash bins or
picking up pet waste. Many shoppers also consider them an impediment on personal freedom.
Numerous retailers oppose bans because they want to allow customers to choose which bag they
desire. Bans also increase costs for retailers that are forced to buy paper bags for consumers,
which are more expensive (Thompson, 2013). Consumers often avoid shopping at stores with
enacted bans and will drive to areas without any laws regulating plastic bags (Richtel, 2012).
Single-use bag fees
Several local governments learned from the shortcomings of outright bans and chose to
place a fee on either plastic bags, paper bags or both. A fee on both plastic and paper bags
provides many environmental benefits because it prevents paper-bag use in addition to plasticbag use (Herrera Environmental Consultants, 2008). A fees ability to reduce plastic-bag
consumption is demonstrated by Irelands plastax. In 2002, Ireland placed a fee worth nearly
21 cents on plastic bags. It decreased the countrys plastic-bag use by 90 percent (McCarter,
2008). A fee offers more financial benefits than other policy options. The fees revenue is usually
returned to retailers to offset increased costs created by implementing the fee. Revenue can also
be used fund government projects promoting environmental sustainability (City and County of

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San Francisco Office of Economic Analysis, 2011). Washington D.C. imposed a 5-cent fee on
plastic and paper bags that decreased consumption of the bags by 80 percent. It also collected
approximately $1,068,100 in revenue within the six months of its enactment, which was used to
clean up the Anacostia River and fund other environmental projects (Romer & Foley, 2012).
Retailers and consumers harbor similar complaints about fees that they have about bans.
Shoppers often complain that fees prevent them from making choices they feel entitled to. Fees
place a financial burden on consumers who are forced to pay the fees or buy reusable bags (City
and County of San Francisco Office of Economic Analysis, 2011). Some retailers deem fees
impolite because customers are required to pay money in addition to the items they purchase.
Many retailers worry that fees create a hostile work environment or deter customers from
shopping at local establishments. A paper-bag fee can increase costs for retailers. It prevents
retailers from giving out free paper bags and working the bags costs into prices of merchandise
(Richtel, 2012). Retailers must train employees and administer a system to coordinate with
single-use bag fees and keep business running smoothly, which costs additional money (Brendle
Group, 2012).
Plastic-bag recycling programs
Some areas within the U.S. have chosen to address plastic-bag waste by increasing
recycling opportunities for plastic bags. Several local governments implement curbside recycling
programs or require retailers to have locations in which consumers can return plastic bags
(Brendle Group, 2012). Other governments have imposed recycling programs funded by the
plastics industry (McCoppin & Keilman, 2012). A recycling program is one of the easiest and
most simple single-use bag policies to adopt. Retailers and consumers are not forced to change
habits (Romer & Foley, 2012). The plastics industry supports this policy option. It argues that it

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can successfully decrease plastic-bag use if communities are taught to recycle single-use bags
and to shop with reusable bags (Tolinski, 2012). Plastic bags are 100 percent recyclable if not
contaminated. The bags are used to make other materials such as composite lumber. Hilex Poly,
the largest plastic-bag manufacturer in the U.S., has placed 30,000 recycling bins around the
country. It says that the number of recycled plastic bags will increase (Toto, 2013).
Increased recycling efforts have several shortcomings. Most statewide recycling
programs are funded by the plastics industry and prohibit community governments in that state
from enacting other plastic-bag laws. Some environmental groups consider this is an example of
the industry unjustly binding local governments (McCoppin & Keilman, 2012). If it is the
retailers responsibility to collect plastic bags, the laws usually apply to large stores and exclude
small stores. This prevents the majority of plastic bags from making it to recycling facilities.
Only 9 percent of plastic bags are recycled annually in the U.S. (Doucette, 2011). Consumers are
not forced to comply with the laws and so many will not recycle plastic bags (Warner, 2010).
Most curbside recycling programs to do not accept plastic bags (Romer, 2007). Even if plastic
bags are properly disposed of in recycling bins, they often fly out of the bins and become litter
because they are so easily carried by the wind. If the bags are transferred to recycling plants, they
frequently break recycling machinery that is not designed to process thin plastic (Frienkel, 2011).
Plastic bags are often reused for other purposes and, therefore, more than 65 percent of plastic
bags are unavailable for recycling (Toto, 2013). Moreover, plastic bags can only be down-cycled
because they cannot be recycled directly into more plastic bags. The majority of recycled plastic
bags end up as plastic pellets that are shipped to China, where they are burned for fuel (HigbeeSudyku, 2013). The damage resulting from producing and transporting the bags still occurs.
Even if plastic bags were successfully disposed of and recycled they could be recycled only a

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finite number of times. All plastic eventually ends up as litter, landfill waste or in the ocean to
exist forever (Murdoch, 2010).
The plastics industrys role in opposing single-use bag policies
The group most opposed to plastic-bag policies in the U.S. is the plastics industry. It
considers the policies a tipping point in its industry. It fears that if such laws are implemented,
laws restricting the use of other plastic products will ensue (Romer & Foley, 2012). The plastics
industry is the third largest manufacturing industry in the U.S. It provides more than 30,000 jobs
to U.S. citizens in 349 plants (Caliendo, 2012). As the threat of the plastic bags disappearance
dawned in 2007, the plastics industry rallied its forces. Funded by the American Chemistry
Council, several industry coalitions developed and are actively opposing the laws today. Among
the strongest are the Progressive Bag Affiliates and the Society of Plastics (Clapp & Swanston,
2009).
The plastics industry has spent millions of dollars litigating against plastic-bag policies.
Nearly every city and county in California with a proposed or enacted plastic-bag ban was sued
by the industry. The industry preyed on the major weakness of plastic-bag bans, which is
increased paper-bag use. It filed lawsuits claiming that the local governments did not fulfill
environmental impact reports. The California Environmental Quality Act requires that such
reports be submitted before environmental policies are implemented. The industry said that an
environmental impact report would have indicated that the environmental drawbacks of banning
plastic bags outweighed the benefits (Romer & Foley, 2012). The American Chemistry Council
gave key legislators money in order to defeat a statewide proposal to ban plastics bags in
California (Doucette, 2011). In January 2011, the industry filed suit against a California reusablebag company called ChicoBag. It claimed that ChicoBag caused irreparable harm to its company

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by criticizing plastic bags (Baker, 2011). It spent $1.4 million on a ballot measure to defeat a
proposed fee on both plastic and paper shopping bags in Seattle in 2009 (Thompson, 2013).
The industry has directed extensive public relations campaigns toward consumers. It used
the media to falsely tell consumers that plastic-bag policies cost them extra money (Doucette,
2011). It also said that plastic bags are the best choice of shopping bag for the environment. It
backed such claims using an industry-sponsored study (Chaffee & Yaros, 2007). It also funded a
study concluding that reusable bags are often contaminated with lead or E.coli. The industry
attempts to convince consumers that recycling plastic bags is the best method to address
environmental issues (Doucette, 2011). However, an overriding amount of studies indicate that
recycling does not significantly minimize environmental harm. Many environmental groups
claim that the industry encourages recycling only to alleviate consumers guilt about using
single-use bags (Freinkel, 2011). Hilex Poly offered to build a recycling plant in Oregon if state
lawmakers agreed to drop a proposed statewide plastic-bag ban. It would also require the state
government to prohibit any municipal governments from enacting plastic-bag laws. Oregon
officials declined the offer because they thought Hilex Poly was only interested in protecting its
financial welfare (Kost, 2011). The same deal was proposed to Illinois state lawmakers
(McCoppin & Keilman, 2012).
A national plastic-bag ban and 10-cent paper-bag fee is the solution
A national plastic-bag ban and 10-cent paper-bag fee would effectively reduce the
environmental impact of single-use bags, while also being feasible enough for retailers and
consumers to follow. It is important that the entire U.S. is governed by one single-use bag policy.
Some environmental groups claim that single-use bag policies will spread from one local
government to the next until the bag completely disappears. However, the consumption of

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plastics packaging is steadily rising (Tolinski, 2012). Also, it is clear that certain areas of the
U.S., especially those invested in the petrochemical industry, will not embrace such
environmentally progressive laws (Broshot, 2013). This indicates that a harsher approach must
be taken to slash the harmful effects of plastic-bag use in all locations in the U.S. Consumers and
tourists are often confused because numerous local governments have enacted single-use bag
policies that differ greatly from one anther. Many retail stores are nationwide chains. Such
varying policies in scattered locations make it confusing to manage and operate each chain. Also,
each policy option has varying levels of successfully reducing plastic-bag consumption.
Therefore, areas with single-use bag policies many not be enforcing policies that minimize
environmental impact to the full potential. A national plastic-bag ban and 10-cent paper-bag fee
greatly benefits the environment and provides a uniform law for all retailers and consumers to
follow.
The plastics industry, retailers and consumers have questioned why environmental groups
advocate to ban plastic bags rather than other single-use plastic products. Plastic bags serve as a
good starting point toward eliminating all single-use plastic. This is because plastic bags are the
most heavily consumed item in the world (Higbee-Sudyku, 2013). Also, a plastic bags
aerodynamic structure allows them to be littered more frequently than other plastic products. It is
illogical to use resources made over millions of years to produce a bag designed to last only long
enough to carry merchandise outside of a store. The major environmental issue is that plastic
bags photodegrade into tiny nodules that remain in the environment forever (Herrera
Environmental Consultants, 2008). Fees and increased recycling methods are not adequate
because plastic bags should be completely eliminated from the environment (City and County of
San Francisco Office of Economic Analysis, 2011).

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A 10-cent paper-bag fee is necessary in order to minimize the environmental impact of

paper-bag consumption. Many local governments have adopted a 5-cent paper-bag fee, however,
it is not high enough to discourage customers from using paper bags (Safeway & WinCo Foods,
2013). A 10-cent paper-bag fee also provides financial benefits for retailers and the government.
It allows retailers to receive part of the revenue from the fees to offset increased costs of
implementing the policies. The other part of the revenue can be distributed to the government to
offset costs of enacting the policies or funding environmental projects. The revenue can also be
used to distribute reusable bags to community members who cannot afford to buy the bags. A
paper-bag fee will initially increase costs for consumers. Many consumers will continue to pay
for single-use paper bags. Most will have to purchase reusable bags or plastic bags for other uses.
However, such costs will eventually be reimbursed to consumers in the form of lower prices. In
the past, retailers incorporated the cost of single-use bags into merchandise prices. A paper-bag
fee prevents retailers from figuring the value of bags into such prices. Retailers can use the fees
revenue to further lower merchandise prices (City and County of San Francisco Office of
Economic Analysis, 2011).
The national plastic-bag ban and 10-cent paper-bag fee must include an education
campaign that teaches consumers about the negative impacts of single-use bags. Even though it
is a national policy, it would be most successful if local governments played an active role in its
execution. Conducting information sessions for the retailers affected by the policy would help
them cooperate and support the policies (Scafa, 2013). Local environmental organizations should
reinforce public awareness about plastic-bag waste by contributing to the public education
campaigns. Communities will adjust to the laws more willingly if they understand the impact of

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plastic bags in their geographic context and around the world. The media coverage of the policies
will have a significant influence on how the community perceives the policies (Murdoch, 2010).
The education campaign must also encourage shoppers to use reusable bags. Reusable
bags are the safest choice of grocery bags for the environment. Some reusable bags are created
with plastic but are made to be durable and last long. The weight of a reusable bag prevents it
from blowing in the wind to cause litter problems associated with lightweight plastic bags. Lifecycle studies indicate that as long as a reusable bag is used four times, it is better for the
environment than any single-use bag (ICF International, 2010). Some consumers worry about no
longer having plastic bags for uses such as lining trash bins. There are concerns that repeatedly
shopping with reusable bags is unsanitary. However, there are practical solutions to these
problems. Consumers can use bags unregulated by the law, such as newspaper bags or produce
bags, for secondary uses (Scafa, 2013). Reusable bags can be washed to remove harmful residue
from groceries and other merchandise. The majority of consumers who oppose single-use bag
policies say the policies are inconvenient. Although shoppers may not immediately be in the
habit of using reusable bags, over time they will adjust. Reusable bags have become a normal
part of the shopping culture in areas with plastic-bag policies (Richtel, 2012). Single-use bag
policies encourage a movement toward a sustainable future. The policies are meant to encourage
the use of reusable materials and make a statement about the disposable culture of the U.S.
(Romer, 2007).
Conclusion
The ubiquity of plastic bags has generated countless environmental issues. In response to
those issues, local governments in the U.S. have proposed or enacted a variety of laws restricting
plastic-bag use. Environmental groups, especially those concerned with protecting the ocean,

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have led the movement to eliminate plastic bags. The most commonly adopted single-use bag
policies include plastic-bag bans, single-use bag fees and increased recycling efforts. Each policy
type has strengths and weaknesses in terms of reducing environmental impact and affecting
consumers and retailers. The U.S. plastics industry has aggressively campaigned against plasticbag laws in order to protect its financial welfare. It has successfully prevented policies from
being implemented in governments at the national, statewide and municipal level.
Nonetheless, single-use bag consumption desperately needs to be reduced in the U.S. A
national plastic-bag ban and 10-cent paper-bag fee is the best method to solve environmental
consequences of such increased consumption. The ban would completely eliminate plastic bags,
which create severe environmental drawbacks when produced or used. The 10-cent paper-bag fee
would drastically lower paper-bag use and provide financial benefits to retailers and, ultimately,
to consumers. It also provides a uniform law throughout the U.S. for retailers and consumers to
follow. It is important that U.S. citizens receive education about the effects of single-use bags
and be encouraged to use reusable bags. Spreading such knowledge through the media and
education campaigns will improve the publics outlook on the fee. Local governments and
environmental organizations should promote education campaigns and encourage communities
to embrace the law. This law aims to promote other environmental laws and to alter the
throwaway culture in the U.S.

References
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Broshot, N. (2013, March, 7). Interview by Carrie Skuzeski. From recording.

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Caliendo, H. (2012, September 17). Think plastic bag bans are only about bags? Think again.
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