Delaware Set to Introduce Plastic Bag Ban on January 1

Delaware is the latest state to stand against plastic! The state will enact a plastic-bag ban at retail stores in the area starting January 1.

According to data from The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), the average Delaware resident uses 464 bags a year, which adds up to half a billion bags annually.

Some business owners in the state aren’t happy with the ban in light of the pandemic. They’re concerned with the safety of the bags and about customers paying for extra bags.

Adam Schlachter, a Program Manager at DNREC said, “We’ve reviewed a lot of the studies, actually all the studies that are out there on the reusable bags and what they all conclude is if the bag is sanitized, there is minimal risk of any disease transferring.”

The ban applies to retail stores over 7,000 square feet and those with more than three locations in the state that are at least 3,000 square feet. Businesses that don’t comply with the ban will be fined.

Single-use plastic bans are in place around the nation, including states like California and Oregon. Single-use plastic bags gum up recycling centers, like in Providence, and are harmful to marine life. However, some states have a ban on banning plastic bags, the so-called “ban on bans” law. Read more about plastic pollution in One Green Planet.

There are products you may be using or habits you may have that contribute to plastic Pollution. Learn more about how the use of Teabags, Cotton Swabs, Laundry, Contact Lenses, Glitter, and Sheet Maskspollute our oceans so you can make more informed decisions going forward. There are also numerous simple actions and switches that can help cut plastic out of our lives including, making your own cosmetics, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, household cleaners, using mason jars, reusable bags/bottles/straws, and avoiding microbeads!

To learn more about the impact of plastic waste, please read the articles below:

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