When single-use plastic bags were banned in the City of Charleston in 2018, many locally owned businesses made the switch to non-plastic alternatives like paper. But some big-box chain stores took advantage of an unknown loophole and began offering thick plastic bags.
Thick plastic bags, like the one pictured below, are often advertised as reusable, making them allowable under the ordinance. Despite being advertised this way, research by College of Charleston and Citadel scientists in the Charleston area showed that thick plastic bag litter in our estuaries has increased in recent years, due in large part to this loophole. When they end up in estuaries, thick plastic bags degrade into microplastic particles that are then injested by marine wildlife.
In 2023, the City of Charleston became the first municipality to close this thick plastic bag loophole. Taking effect in July 2024, businesses phased out their supply of these thick plastic bags and transitioned to an alternative. The towns of Mount Pleasant and James Island and the City of Folly Beach followed suit this year.
The Conservation League is focused on expanding this effort across the coastal plain, including in Horry, Beaufort and Charleston counties, hoping to see more municipalities take critical steps in eliminating plastic litter from our communities and waterways.
Over the past decade, municipalities across South Carolina’s coastal counties have passed various ordinances to reduce sources of single-use plastics, including Styrofoam to-go containers, straws, utensils, and plastic bags.
Click here to learn what’s banned near you.