Survey: Over 80% of Pittsburgh businesses complying with city’s plastic bag ban

PITTSBURGH — Roughly five months after Pittsburgh’s ban on single-use plastic bags went into effect, the majority of local retailers appear to have stopped distributing the once-ubiquitous plastic bag. According to a new survey of 50 local businesses conducted by the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, 82% of businesses surveyed were no longer distributing plastic bags. 

“Pittsburghers should be reassured by the findings of PennEnvironment’s preliminary survey of city businesses complying with the plastic bag ban,” said Zachary Barber, an advocate with the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. “Nothing we use for a few minutes should pollute our environment and litter our communities for hundreds of years, so we applaud the majority of city businesses that are working to comply with this important law.”

Retail establishments, such as grocery or convenience stores, fared particularly well in the survey, with 26 of 28 surveyed found to be plastic bag-free (93%). 

At the same time, the survey showed that Pittsburgh’s restaurant sector lags behind, with only 15 of 22 surveyed restaurants having ditched plastic bags (68%). Nine total businesses were found to be violating the law and giving out plastic bags, seven were restaurants. 

“As many know, plastic bags are the bane of recycling system equipment and, of course, the larger environment.  Kudos to all the businesses and restaurants who have stepped up and are leading the way,” said Sarah Alessio Shea, the deputy director of Pennsylvania Resources Council. “With time we can get everyone on board to eliminate distribution of single-use plastic bags.”

To maximize benefits to our communities, wildlife and environment, the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center recommends:

1. Greater education of businesses about the steps they must take to comply with the city’s single-use plastic bag ban.
2. Greater enforcement to deter businesses that violate the law, and show that it won’t pay to be a bad actor. This is also critical in order to ensure that businesses complying with the law don’t have a competitive disadvantage to those who are violating it. 
3. City officials should put a specific focus on restaurants in the city in order to improve the compliance rates for this sector, which lag behind other business sectors in Pittsburgh.

The organization recommends that when local residents come across retailers that appear to be violating Pittsburgh’s single-use plastic bag ban, they should report these businesses to 311 or through the City’s online complaint portal. 

“Humane Action Pittsburgh is thrilled to witness the enthusiastic compliance of businesses in Pittsburgh with the plastic bag ban. Their proactive commitment to reducing single-use plastic bags underscores our collective responsibility to protect our environment,” said Natalie Ahwesh, the executive director of Humane Action Pittsburgh. “By taking single-use plastic bags out of the environment, we’re not just enhancing our city’s beauty but safeguarding the habitats of precious wildlife. Together, we pave the way for a brighter, more resilient Pittsburgh for generations to come.” 

Before the law, Pittsburghers used an estimated 110 million single-use plastic bags every year. Pittsburgh’s law is projected to eliminate the use of more than 110 million single-use plastic bags annually in the city. The law also requires businesses to charge a fee of at least 10 cents for any paper bags that they provide to customers and show the cost of the paper bag on all receipts to customers who purchase them.