Detroit supports effort to allow plastic bag ban
- A 2016 law in Michigan prohibits cities from enacting plastic bans
- Detroit's Green Force is seeking to ban single-use plastics
- Microplastics have been found in 80% of people's blood
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 28: Plastic bags are tied to a shopping cart in Lower Manhattan on February 28, 2020 in New York City. New York City will institute a plastic bag ban on March 1st, demanding that businesses charge customers for using plastic bags in hopes of lowering landfill waste and promoting reusable bags among residents.(Photo by Scott Heins/Getty Images)
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(NewsNation) — Leaders in Detroit are fighting to be allowed to ban single-use plastics in the city. The move comes as Michigan Democrats work to repeal a ban on plastic bans.
A 2016 law prohibited cities and towns from passing ordinances to ban single-use plastic containers, such as grocery bags.
Members of the Detroit City Council passed a resolution in support of the effort to repeal the law, which supporters said was meant to protect businesses from additional regulations.
States and cities across the U.S. have passed plastic bag bans or created laws charging customers a fee if they use single-use plastic products. Supporters of bans say they are needed as there is increasing concern about the amount of plastic found in the environment.
Microplastics, formed when plastic products break down, have been found in human blood, and scientists believe they may come with health risks.
Should the repeal succeed, Detroit’s Green Task Force intends to push for a ban on single-use plastics in the city.
