AUSTIN — In 2013, Austin passed a bag ban for single-use plastic bags.
Austin is one of about 10 cities in Texas with a ban on single-use plastic bags.
KVUE media partner Austin American-Statesman reported Friday that efforts to combat plastic pollution are proving fruitful as the number of plastic bags that can be found on the ocean floor have now declined.
The study was conducted by government scientists who analyzed 25 years’ worth of ocean litter found in the waters surrounding the United Kingdom.
The statistical decline in plastic bags optimistically suggests that such policies prohibiting their use is making a positive impact on plastic pollution.
However, the study does state that the overall amount of deep-sea litter remained roughly constant due to an increase in the number of other plastic items, including bottles and fishing debris, according to the Independent.
In June 2017, Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the Supreme Court to eliminate the plastic bag ban across the state. Paxton cited a state law saying "cities can't restrict using containers or packages for solid waste purposes."
"Cities across Texas are failing to respect the rule of law and unlawfully passing the burden of municipal solid waste management to residents and retailers through bag bans," Attorney General Paxton said. "Municipalities do not get to violate Texas law merely because they don’t like it. We’re asking the Texas Supreme Court to uphold the law so that the ruling can be used to invalidate similar ordinances across Texas."
In Jan., KVUE reported the plastic ban in Austin was up in the air as the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments over its purpose.
There has not been a ruling in the case yet, however.
