Is YOUR Business Impacted By These Plastic Bag Bans In The United States?

Get the Latest News for Your Business on Plastic Bag Bans in The United States

Many consumers are fed up with the negative environmental impacts of plastic, so they are doing something about it. And businesses are helping in the efforts. Consumers are demanding a reduction in plastic use by the companies with which they do business. Shoppers feel guilty when they buy something and are given a plastic bag.

The plastic bag ban movement is at a point where, for many businesses and consumers, laws are an after-thought. But along with consumer demand driving down the use of plastics and driving up the use of reusable bags, laws ARE still being implemented. Let’s look at the latest news on the bag ban movement in the United States and see if your business is impacted and find out how your brand can help support the movement through the use of promotional marketing items.

Bag Ban Movement Flourishing in Alaska

It is exciting and helpful to note that the bag ban movement easily spreads. Once one town, city or county passes a ban, neighboring municipalities follow that lead and eventually more nearby cities catch on to the movement. This happened in California and culminated with the statewide ban, it has been happening in Massachusetts for several years now, and it is happening in Alaska.

Officials and residents in Unalaska are supporting efforts to implement a single-use plastic bag ban. Soldotna recently approved a ban, which will become effective on November 1, 2018. About half a dozen other cities have recently passed bag bans of their own, while almost a dozen other cities have had bans in place for several years.

Ban Coming to South Kingstown

South Kingstown is the latest city in Rhode Island to pass a ban. The measure passed in a unanimous vote and will go into action on January 1, 2019. The ban clearly had a lot of support from officials and residents, but many local businesses also support the ban. Officials plan to go easy on enforcing the ban at the start, to allow businesses and customers to become accustomed to the new law, but it is expected to be a relatively easy transition.

End to Bans in the Lone Star State

The Texas Supreme Court ruled that cities and municipalities can no longer pass laws regulating the use of single-use plastic bags. This ruling was made in response to a lawsuit filed against the city of Laredo, after a single-use plastic bag ban was passed.

The 11 other cities in Texas with bag bans in place have since dropped their bans in order to be in compliance with the ruling. Although, some cities and retailers understand plastic is bad for the planet and are looking for ways to continue to maintain the momentum created by the now defunct bans.

Fee on Hold in Teaneck

At the prompting of a local Girl Scout troop (more on another Girl Scout making BIG changes in Florida coming soon), officials in Teaneck, New Jersey passed a law levying a 5-cent fee on single-use plastic bags. The goal of the measure is the reduce the use of single-use plastic bags and the resulting environment harm.

The law was approved in July 2017 with the plan to take a year to educate retailers and consumers, with enforcement scheduled to begin in July 2018. However, as the state is considering a similar law that would impact the entire state of New Jersey, officials in Teaneck have decided to put their plans on hold. If a statewide fee becomes a reality in the Garden State, Teaneck will amend their law to mimic the state version. If the statewide plastic bag fee is not approved, Teaneck officials will move forward with their fee as planned.

How Your Business Can Help

With the massive backlash against single-use plastic bags, consumers need a durable and reusable replacement. Creating customized reusable shopping bags that showcase your company’s logo and branding information is a great way to put promotional marketing to work for your business, while also helping your customers go green and stop using disposable plastic bags.

It is so easy to protect the planet. You can get started in under 5 minutes. Create your own custom reusable shopping bags today!