Plastic bag legislation in the United States: influential factors on its creation

Liza Bell () and Gina Scutelnicu Todoran ()
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Liza Bell: Environmental Defense Fund
Gina Scutelnicu Todoran: Pace University

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2022, vol. 12, issue 2, No 6, 260-271

Abstract: Abstract In trying to address plastic bag pollution, governments around the world have recently adopted legislation that bans or discourages the use of single-use plastic bags. This study examines the variation in types of plastic bag legislation, and the extent to which geographic, socio-economic and political factors contribute to the adoption of single-use plastic bag legislation in the US. Using National Conference of State Legislatures, US Census, and plastic industry data, the study describes how plastic bag legislation varies among states, and identifies key factors that explain why states adopt plastic bag legislation. Findings indicate that plastic bag legislation varies by geography and political control of state legislatures. Additionally, results indicate that states in which local legislation has been adopted are more likely to adopt state-wide legislation. Finally, this study finds that shoreline mileage, green state index, and presence of state preemption laws to be strong predictors of plastic bag legislation adoption. Through its findings, the study informs policy makers about possible avenues that lead to the adoption of plastic bag legislation and discusses implications about implementation.

Keywords: Plastic bag legislation; Environmental policy; State and local plastic bag legislation; Single-use plastic; Plastic bag pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1007/s13412-021-00736-8

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