Paper vs plastic bags, which is best?

What you probably already know: Single-use plastic bags are banned in 14 states, and hundreds of counties and municipalities have passed legislation restricting their use. Research suggests plastic bag bans reduce waste and litter, protecting roadsides, waterways, and wildlife while lowering environmental pollutants associated with manufacturing and disposing of plastic materials. Bag bans and restrictions encourage shoppers to switch to reusable or paper bags. But using paper instead of plastic might not be the more environmentally friendly option.

Why? While a paper bag is more biodegradable and easier to recycle, it requires more energy and resources to make and transport than a plastic bag. Paper also has a limit to the number of times it can be recycled. A 2011 study by the Northern Ireland Assembly found it "takes more than four times as much energy to manufacture a paper bag as it does to manufacture a plastic bag." The process also produces higher levels of toxic chemicals compared to single-use plastic bags. Paper bags weigh more, adding to the transportation toll.

Every year, Americans use hundreds of billions of plastic bags, most of which are not recycled. In a landfill, paper bags release methane and carbon dioxide as they degrade but aren’t as harmful to ecosystems when littered since they break down quickly; plastic doesn’t release harmful greenhouse gases, but instead breaks up into tiny pieces. Microplastics now exist everywhere on Earth: on top of Mount Everest and in our food and inside our bodies.

What it means: Paper bags take a larger environmental toll upfront, while plastic bags are more harmful after they’re discarded. A paper bag must be reused three times before its global warming impact matches that of a single-use plastic bag, 11 times for a sturdier, non-woven polypropylene bag like those marketed as reusable in the checkout line, and 131 times for a cotton bag (think reusable produce bags), according to a study by the UK’s Environment Agency.

What happens now? It’s important to note that some bans in the U.S. have legislative loopholes that allow retailers to offer thicker plastic bags at checkout. These bags are considered reusable and cost the shopper a small fee, but they’re often thrown in the trash after just one use and demand more resources to manufacture. Deciding which shopping bag material is best can be a confusing task. The key is to reuse a bag as many times as possible, regardless of what it’s made of, then recycle it responsibly. Just avoid collecting too many “reusable totes” as this defeats the purpose. Everything comes at a cost.