Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, which require 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture. Minnesotans throw away more than 500 tons of plastic bags and packaging every day. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency states that in Minnesota plastic bag recycling is less than 10%. It is estimated that 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes annually.
Local municipalities deserve the right to local control, especially when the decisions in question impact public health and safety and the water we drink. Clean Water Action is working to remove the plastic bag ban preemption in Minnesota statute, which will return local control around this issue back to where it belongs — with each city and town in Minnesota.
Minnesota Legislature Bill Status
