Counterpoint: Single-Use Plastic Bans Make No Sense

Nobody wants plastic pollution. That doesn’t mean poorly considered and heavy-handed governmental actions are the solution. This includes misguided single-use plastic bans (e.g., bans on plastic straws and single-use plastic bags).

The primary concern regarding plastic pollution is ocean plastic pollution. Plastic in our oceans can persist indefinitely, causing harm to marine life. Further, the amount of plastic in the ocean is increasing.

To what extent do American consumers contribute to this problem? According to the nonprofit OpenOceans Global, “The U.S. directly contributes less than 1 percent of plastic to the world’s oceans.” The problem is primarily coming from Asia, which accounts for more than 80 percent of the ocean plastic.

There is a zone of accumulated plastic known as the Great Pacific Global Patch that has received significant attention. The nonprofit Ocean Cleanup has estimated that about half of the total mass was discarded fishing gear. A recent study in Scientific Reports states that “between 75 and 86 percent of the floating plastic mass” in the Patch “could be considered (abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear).”

Quite simply, American consumers are not a meaningful source of this pollution problem. Not only does our country contribute a minuscule amount to ocean plastic pollution, but much of the ocean plastic pollution also has nothing to do with consumer use of plastic.

Producing a significant amount of plastic waste doesn’t mean a country is a major contributor to plastic pollution in the ocean. Mismanaged waste is a primary contributor to ocean plastic pollution.

Wealthier countries, such as the United States, which have significant plastic consumption, do not have waste management problems like those that plague nations where the ocean plastic pollution is coming from. According to the World Population Review’s analysis of plastic pollution, the United States is one of the best countries in the world at managing plastic waste.

Less developed nations, which are significant sources of ocean plastic pollution, need to focus on improving their waste management systems. As countries develop economically, this should improve their waste management practices.

The tiny role U.S. consumers have in ocean plastic pollution by itself is a compelling reason to reject single-use plastic bans. So too is our country’s continued commitment to reducing litter, as seen by a 54 percent reduction in roadside litter over a decade as discussed in the Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Litter Study.

There are many other compelling reasons to reject single-use plastic bans.

Reusable bags, unlike plastic bags, pose a potential source of significant health risks due to the presence of harmful bacteria. One study found that after San Francisco’s 2007 ban on plastic use, there was a spike in emergency room visits due to food contamination, with subsequent California municipal bans seeing similar increases.

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