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6h ago

Plastic Bag Policies Cut Shoreline Litter by Up to 47%

Scientists found that fees on single-use bags delivered greater reductions than bans in analyses of tens of thousands of shoreline cleanups

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

  • Analysis of over 45,000 shoreline cleanups found 25% to 47% fewer plastic bags in regions that imposed bans or fees compared with unregulated areas.
  • Researchers suggest fee programs may fund additional cleanup efforts and achieve higher compliance rates than outright bans.
  • Statewide bag regulations produced larger drops in coastal debris than municipal or county measures by reducing spillover from unregulated zones.
  • Despite relative declines where policies exist, the overall proportion of plastic bags in coastal litter continues to climb over time.
  • Delegates from more than 175 countries are negotiating a global plastics treaty to address plastic pollution at a broader scale.