Q&A: The Latest in the Battle Over Plastic Bag Bans
Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

Q&A: The Latest in the Battle Over Plastic Bag Bans

A decade ago, California became the first U.S. state to ban single-use plastic bags, and eleven states as well as some territories followed suit. But some 18 other states have gone in the opposite direction and even blocked local cities and towns from prohibiting single use plastic bags. Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator and president of Beyond Plastics, spoke with Living on Earth about the battle over bag bans—and how to get them right.

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Aldi Eliminates Plastic Shopping Bags in All 2,300 Us Grocery Stores
Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

Aldi Eliminates Plastic Shopping Bags in All 2,300 Us Grocery Stores

The decision to eliminate plastic shopping bags will prevent almost 4,400 tons, or nearly 9 million pounds of plastic, from entering circulation annually, according to Aldi. Aldi has cloth bags available in stores for purchase and the retailer will continue to sell bags to customers who forget their own reusable bags.

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Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

Trashed: The Secret Life of Plastic Recycling

ABC News' groundbreaking investigation looks into how well the U.S. plastic bag recycling system is working, and how communities are impacted by nearby landfills and incinerators.

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Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

Does Plastic Bag Recycling From Stores Like Target, Walmart Work or Still End up in a Landfill?

For months, the I-Team and ABC news tracked plastic bags that we dropped off at store recycling bins around the country and several ended up in landfills or incinerators. But how often do bags that are dropped off properly at retail stores get recycled? The I-Team, ABC News, and ABC stations across the country assembled 46 bundles of recyclable plastic bags. Each contained a tracking device.

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Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

Here’s How Many Times You Need to Reuse Your Reusable Grocery Bags

Many of us are drowning in reusable bags — cloth totes or thicker, more durable plastic bags — that retailers sell cheaply or give away to customers as an ostensibly greener alternative to single-use plastic. Campaigners say these bag hoards are creating fresh environmental problems, with reusable bags having a much higher carbon footprint than thin plastic bags.

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Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

Why Walmart Is Eliminating Single-Use Bags in Some States but Not Others

Walmart will eliminate single-use paper and plastic carryout bags at the register from stores in New York, Connecticut and Colorado this month. The company previously stopped giving out single-use plastic bags in New York and Connecticut and in some areas in Colorado. Walmart offers reusable shopping bags starting at 74 cents for customers without their own bags.

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