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13h ago

Plastic Bag Bans Cut Shoreline Litter by Up to 47%

Study sheds light on policy impacts at a pivotal moment in UN treaty negotiations.

Plastic bags can prevent sea turtle hatchlings from making it to the ocean, Murphy said.
Plastic bags littering the shoreline is a common sight on beaches around the world.
Plastic bags are particularly dangerous because they so easily fly away and enter marine ecosystems, experts said.
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Overview

  • Shoreline cleanup data from 2016 to 2023 show 25%–47% fewer plastic bags in areas enforcing bans or fees compared to those without policies.
  • Taxing plastic bags yielded slightly larger declines in shoreline litter than outright bans, while partial bans had the smallest impact.
  • Statewide regulations delivered more consistent reductions than local measures by minimizing cross-jurisdiction spillovers.
  • Areas with bag policies saw a 30%–37% drop in recorded incidents of wildlife entanglement in plastic bags.
  • More than 100 countries have adopted bag restrictions and 175 nations are in talks over a global plastics treaty that could include production limits.