New bill to allow Michigan committees to regulate litter from single-use plastic bags
LANSING, Mich. (April 22, 2021) — Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) has introduced a bill to restore local control and aid community efforts to control litter and waste.
Senate Bill 358 would repeal the law banning the implementation of plastic bag bans or any motion regulating the use or sale of plastic bags, or imposing any fee, charge, or tax on certain containers.
“Plastic bags are a pervasive form of pollution and litter in our communities,” Sen. Irwin said. “Other communities have shown success in keeping trash off their roads, beautifying their communities, and keeping this trash out of their rivers and streams by introducing limits, deposits, or other creative ideas to improve plastic bag recycling. This bill is designed to do that.”
Plastic bags are detrimental to our ecosystem. According to National Geographic, more than 91% of the world’s plastics end up in landfills and incinerators or are lost in our waterways. Twenty-two million pounds of plastic is discarded in the Great Lakes every year, and plastic bags are among the top 12 items of debris found along coastlines. Not only do they pollute our Great Lakes, but they also take hundreds of years to biodegrade and, in doing so, release toxic chemicals into our soil. Further, by taking so long to break down, plastic bags can fester in our environment and harm wildlife and animals for generations.
In communities and states where plastic bag bans have been implemented, there has been a reduction in bags littered in neighborhoods, roads, waterways, and parks. California’s plastic bag ban reduced the consumption of plastic bags by 71.5%, according to a study from the University of Sydney. Likewise, 100% of plastic bags were removed from their recycling system, where they damaged sorting machines and downgraded the quality of recycled materials. Restoring the ability of local governments to regulate plastic bags will protect Pure Michigan and the outdoor recreational opportunities that are so important to our state.
“As the Great Lakes State, we hold the responsibility to ensure that our lakes and rivers are protected from pollution caused by plastic bags. This legislation will restore our local governments’ ability to protect and beautify our state,” Sen. Irwin added. “Local leaders are closest to our roads, parks, and waterways. They need this tool to fight litter in our communities, and we should be able to provide this to them.”
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