No. Though some plastic bags can be recyclable, as of 2015 almost 90% of single use plastic bags, sacks, and wraps were never recycled.

Many of the companies that support recycling as a solution for the plastic waste problem continue to invest in plastic production, allowing the amount of plastic waste to grow. Consumer goods companies have put an undue burden to reduce plastic waste on consumers.

In the United States, six times more plastic waste is burned than recycled. This not only is a waste of the natural resources that polyethylene plastic bags are made of, but even highly regulated landfills and incinerators could pose human health and environmental justice concerns.

Recycling can be one small part of the solution, but the real need is to significantly reduce single-use plastic waste so it never has to be disposed of.

 

• Plastic bag waste increases public maintenance and cleanup costs. Water and sewer systems run more smoothly without plastic bags clogging storm drains and discharging into our waterways.
• Each stage of the plastic lifecycle poses significant risks to human health. Plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to break down in a landfill, but they never fully decompose. Instead, they degrade into microplastics and leech toxic chemicals that contaminate our water and air.
• Lake Erie, the smallest Great Lake, has one of the highest concentrations of microplastics in the world.
• Plastic bag waste threatens our natural ecosystems and the health of our native biodiversity.

At least 127 countries and 349 jurisdictions have regulations on plastic bags.

Explore an interactive map of single-use plastic bag reduction policies in the United States.

In light of ongoing supply chain issues and Ohio’s effort to “ban the ban,” the County has opted to not issue fines to stores. The County created a program to assist stores with voluntary compliance. To help retailers make the transition away from plastic checkout bags, the County launched the Sustainable Stores program.

Additionally, the County has a Communications Toolkit for retail stores to promote the Bring Your Own Bags education initiative, including graphics for signage and communications materials to help encourage customers to bring reusable bags when they shop.

Reducing the use of plastic checkout bags benefits retailers and their communities. In a 2019 survey of Cuyahoga County residents, 72% were in favor of a plastic bag ban. This indicates that many residents support retailers limiting checkout bags and presents an opportunity for retailers to cater toward consumer values.

Plastic checkout bags are not free to retailers, and their costs are passed down to consumers through higher prices. Eliminating them could not only reduce a cost to retailers, but also reduce the longer-term costs residents incur through county cleanups and disposal fees.

Healthier communities lead to healthier local economies and reducing plastic waste will vastly improve the health of Cuyahoga County neighborhoods.

Yes, you can charge a fee for the bags you provide in your store.

The kind of bags that are prohibited are disposable plastic bags (made from either non-compostable plastic or compostable plastic) that are provided by a Retail Establishment to a customer at point of sale for the purpose of transporting purchased items. Thicker film plastic bags are NOT allowed.

• Bags the customer brings with them to the Retail Establishment
• Newspaper bags
• Bags provided by a pharmacist that contains a prescription drug
• Bags used to package a bulk item or to contain or wrap a perishable item such as meat, fish, produce, baked goods, or flowers
• Bags that a restaurant gives a customer to take prepared or leftover food or drink from the restaurant
• Bags intended for use as dry cleaning, garbage, or yard waste bags, pre-packaged bags used for the collection of pet waste
• Bags provided to the consumer for the purpose of transporting a partially consumed bottle of wine pursuant to Section 4301.62(E) of the Ohio Revised Code
• Bags provided at curbside pickup or point of delivery
• Bags provided for the purpose of transporting hazardous materials

• Permitted paper bags, which are 100% recyclable and manufactured from at least 40% recycled content
• Reusable bags that are specifically intended for multiple reuses and is made of cloth, fiber, or other machine washable fabric. They must be at least 2.25 mils thick and capable of carrying a minimum of 18 pounds with at least 75 uses per bag.

• Stop offering single-use plastic bags at checkout.
• If providing paper bags, charge a fee for them. According to this local study, customer behavior is encouraged to change as a result of an incurred consequence like a fee. (This webinar summarizes the study.)
• Sell reusable, machine washable, woven bags to customers.
• Give customers incentives to bring reusable bags—for example, putting customers in drawings for gift cards if they bring their own bags, or providing them with rewards or giveaways for bringing bags.
• Hang reminder signs on doors or windows so customers don’t forget their bags in their cars.
• You can find a number of helpful resources for communications in our Communications Toolkit.

Retailers in Cuyahoga County cities that have opted out of the ban are still encouraged to stop offering single-use plastic bags at checkout and support Cuyahoga County’s overall commitment to reduce single-use plastic waste.

Here are just a few ways to help remember to bring reusable bags with you when shopping:

• Put a note a reminder at the top of your shopping list.
• Stash bags in your car or by the door.
• Keep a spare bag in your backpack purse or glove box.
• Ask your store to post reminders on doors so you don’t have to make a trip back to the parking lot after your cart is full.

• Most woven reusable bags are sold for a few dollars and are sold at resale shops, making them a relatively affordable option.

• If you can’t purchase reusable bags, paper bags are the next best option and are often a free or low cost alternative to plastic checkout bags.

• You can reuse plastic bags that you already have or use cardboard boxes to transport items. The best bag is the bag you already have.

• Use reusable water bottles rather than bottled water.
• Pack food in reusable containers rather than cling wrap and plastic baggies.
• Skip plastic forks and carry washable, reusable silverware in your lunchbox.
• For more information on reducing, reusing and recycling, visit the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District website.