Plastic Bag Bans: What Happened After COVID-19? (2026 Update)
Dear EarthTalk: Why were several new plastic bag bans reversed during COVID? Have they been reinstated (or expanded or forgotten) in the meantime?
—Missy G., New York, NY
Plastic bag bans are policies and laws that prohibit or limit the use of single-use plastic bags, part of an attempt to curb and reduce plastic waste and environmental degradation. Before COVID-19, many cities and states had implemented such bans to mitigate pollution, protect wildlife and address the plastic crisis. With the world wasting about 400 million tons of plastic yearly, plastic waste and pollution have become critical issues. These bans aimed to switch customers to reusable alternatives like cloth bags. Plastic bags are among the most common pollutants found in landfills and oceans, taking hundreds of years to fully decompose. Their widespread use aggravates the plastic pollution problem, harming marine life and adding to the global waste crisis.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, public health concerns overshadowed the bans. The fear that reusable bags, which involved repeated handling, would spread the virus led many states to roll back or temporarily suspended the bans. The shift led to an increase in plastic usage, not just in bags but also in other items like containers and other packaging. The plastic industry also advocated for a ban reversal by using the public health crisis to push forward. When speaking with Chemical and Engineering News, Judith Enck, the founder of environmental group Beyond Plastics, said, “Plastic bag lobbyists are attempting to exploit a public health crisis. There is no evidence that reusable bags contribute to the serious problem of COVID-19.”
As institutions like the National Institutes of Health confirmed that surface transmission was not the most prominent form of COVID-19 transmission, many places began to reinstate their bans. New York, which had implemented a ban before the pandemic, resumed their ban in 2020. California reinstated its policy and introduced stricter regulations on plastic packaging. Canada and several other countries moved forward with nationwide bans despite the temporary COVID-19 setback. But not all plastic bag bans were reinstated. Some places that had rolled back bans never reinstated them, citing economic concerns from businesses. In places where bans do not exist, plastic use remains high, fostering a cause for concern.
Despite progress after COVID-19 in reinstating bans, several challenges remain. There is consistent pushback from the plastic industry, which continues to rally against bans. Many consumers who reverted to plastic bags have been slow to switch back to alternatives. Individuals can play an important role. We can promote the use of reusable bags and encourage friends and family to make the switch. Individuals can also put pressure on their local representatives.
CONTACTS
EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.