Ban on plastic bags is not litter answer

The City of Charleston and Charleston County are the latest to ban single-use plastic bags, joining most other local governments along South Carolina’s coast. But is a ban the right way to go? Recently, the Times and Democrat published an editorial discussing the issue. According to the editorial, “banning plastic bags in lieu of cotton or paper could have a negative impact on the environment overall, not to mention the inconvenience of limiting reuse of those bags for everyday things like lining trash cans, protecting your belongings or even cleaning up after your dog. In addition, banning plastic bags could leave a significant number of people without jobs and cost individuals, communities and governments money, whether through the purchase of reusable bags or educational programs for the public. Though it may sound like a positive change on the surface, banning plastic bags could actually be detrimental to the environment and the economy.”

Read the full editorial on the Times and Democrat website.