The conventional plastic bag is the one with the least environmental impacts.
The Frontline Defense Against Plastic Bag Bans and Taxes Nationwide
The American Progressive Bag Alliance (APBA) represents the U.S. plastic bag manufacturing and recycling industry, which employs nearly 25,000 workers in 40 states. Founded in 2005, the APBA proactively promotes product lines and leads numerous public policy initiatives that serve as the frontline defense against plastic bag bans and taxes nationwide.
With the support of the industry’s workers, the APBA promotes American-made plastic products that are the smartest, most environmentally-friendly choice at the checkout counter for both retailers and consumers.
Once disposed, reusable bags take up to 9.3% more space than plastic bags in landfills.
A canvas tote bag needs to be reused at least 131 times to have a lower impact than a plastic bag used once.
The conventional plastic bag is the one with the least environmental impacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes – Plastic bags are 100% reusable and recyclable.
According to Recyc-Quebec, a Canadian government agency:
Cotton or canvas bags need to be reused between 100 and 2,954 times.
Reusable woven polypropylene bags need to be reused between 16 to 98 times.
Reusable non-woven polypropylene bags need to be reused 11 to 59 times.
According to the UK Environment Agency:
Paper bags need to be reused 3 times.
Reusable non-woven polypropylene bags need to be reused 11 times.
Cotton or canvas bags need to be reused 131 times.
According to the Denmark Environmental Protection Agency:
Paper bags need to be reused 43 times.
Reusable non-woven polypropylene bags need to be reused 52 times.
Reusable woven polypropylene bags need to be reused 45 times.
Conventional cotton bags need to be reused 7,100 times.
Organic cotton bags need to be reused 20,000 times.
Nearly 30,000 people, directly and indirectly.
No – multiple cities across the country have discovered that plastic bag bans create problems rather than solve them. When consumers are forced to use replacement bags – which are often made of thicker, heavier plastic – that contributes more to waste than the typical plastic grocery bag.
Yes – especially small businesses. Bans can increase costs, making it hard for businesses to comply.
Use our Find My Recycling Center tool to learn where you can recycle your bags.
Your plastic bags may get a new life as eco-friendly raw material for playgrounds, construction materials and new plastic bags.
No – plastic bags are reused by Americans every day. Plastic bags are also 100% recyclable.
Find a Recycling Center
Other ways to get involved:
In the News
New York’s Thick Plastic Bag Demands Vex Efforts to Reduce Waste
This article quotes APBA Executive Director Matt Seaholm, who says that single-use plastic bag legislation is more complex than simply outlawing the use of plastics. “With New York, which has a large amount of the U.S. population, kind of flipping a switch and going from a largely unregulated marketplace to essentially a complete ban on any of these types of products—there’s going to be a little bit of whiplash if it’s allowed to go into effect as currently written,” Seaholm said.
Plastic bags and styrofoam could soon be banned in N.J., but not plastic straws
“(The bill) will hurt the tens of thousands of New Jersey manufacturing jobs supported by the industries this law will affect, and will all but guarantee that the only carryout bags offered at stores will be imported from Asia rather than produced in the United States, where the current bags are made,” said Matt Seaholm, executive director of the American Progressive Bag Alliance.
Separating fact from fiction on America Recycles Day
According to the American Progressive Bag Alliance (APBA), the plastic bag and film waste stream remains untouched. Why? The biggest reason is the Bag-2-Bag program, which allows consumers to easily drop off their bags and films at the grocery store. This program hasn’t been impacted by China’s National Sword policy because the recycled bags were never exported. The plastic film is collected at stores and brought back to plastic manufacturers, who convert them into everything from playground equipment to park benches and new grocery bags.
