A statewide plastic bag ban passed by the Delaware General Assembly in 2019 and expanded in 2021, takes effect July 1.

In a reminder to shoppers, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control noted retail stores in Delaware except restaurants will no longer provide plastic bags at checkout.

”Prior to the enactment of this law in 2019, it was estimated that each Delawarean used approximately 434 plastic bags each year, many of which wound up as waste in our landfills,” said Shawn M. Garvin, the department secretary. 

An updated plastic bag ban expands it to include all retail stores, with restaurants again the exception regardless of size, and bans the distribution or sale of all plastic film carryout bags at checkout.

The department also encourages the use of the cloth or fabric bags brought by customers to businesses where they shop.

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“By realigning the legislation to further limit the use of film carryout bags, we are reducing waste that all too often ends up along on our roadway, in our waterways and shorelines — all detrimental to our environment including wildlife and marine creatures,” Garvin said.

Despite businesses moving away from plastic bags, consumers can follow simple tips by the department after the law takes effect.

Among them are telling shoppers:

Bags can be returned to the stores to be properly recycled.

Background:Plastic bag ban: How Delaware is moving closer to tougher restrictions

Loopholes:Why environmentalists want Delaware to ban all plastic shopping bags and charge for paper ones

Under Delaware’s 2019 plastic bag ban, the law allowed 2.25 millimeter-thick plastic film bags to be considered reusable. However, last June, the legislature enhanced the state’s plastic bag ban to include all plastic film carryout bags regardless of thickness.

Starting July 1, retailers can choose to offer paper bags, or reusable bags made from cloth or other durable fabric with stitched handles. The law also allows retail stores to charge customers for these bags at checkout.

State data indicates residents use about 2,400 tons of plastic bags each year which is on par with national trends.

The Environmental Protection Agency noted in 2018, plastics generation was 35.7 million tons in the United States, which was 12.2 percent of municipal solid waste generation.

Nationwide, landfills received an average of 27 million tons of plastic, making it 18.5% of all municipal waste sent there.

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When those plastic bags get into waterways and then the ocean, they become even more dangerous. Data from environmental organizations in 2022 found more than 100,000 marine animals die from plastic bag pollution annually, and over 1 million seabirds die from pollution related to plastic annually.

The United States, alone, is responsible for more than 300 billion plastic bags entering the ocean every year. Between 60% to 95% of the waste currently in the ocean is believed to be plastics.

The majority of seabirds and sea turtles in oceans have plastic in their stomach from thinking it is food.

Consumers and retailers can find more information about the enhanced plastic bag ban at the state information website.