Mentor Argument: Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags

Every year, billions of single-use plastic bags are used for minutes and then discarded, where they linger for centuries. Our state should ban single-use plastic bags.

The evidence is clear. Studies estimate that plastic bags are used on average for just twelve minutes but can take up to 500 years to break down. This matters because during those centuries, the bags fragment into microplastics that pollute waterways and harm the fish and wildlife that Louisiana's economy depends on. In coastal areas, discarded bags clog drainage systems and worsen flooding.

Some argue that a ban would burden shoppers and businesses. However, many communities that adopted bans adjusted quickly by using reusable bags, and studies found little lasting inconvenience. The brief adjustment is a small price for cleaner water and coasts.

A ban on single-use plastic bags would protect Louisiana's waterways, wildlife, and communities. The convenience of a few minutes is not worth centuries of harm.