LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The City of Little Rock is looking to reduce the waste and litter of single-use plastic bags.
City staff said they’re bad news for the environment and city workers estimate we use tens of millions of plastic bags every year.
Where they end up is the biggest concern, with nearly 75% of Little Rock's surface water draining into the Watershed.
“It’s everywhere and what ends up happening is it goes into the landfill, it goes into the streets and hanging on trees. It’s litter and it’s waste," Little Rock's Sustainability Educator Lennie Massanelli said.
The city wants feedback on the issue. They’ve posted a 7 question survey where you can provide your input on waste.
“Being the capital city, we just felt like it was time to find out what our citizens are interested in and what they would like,” Little Rock's Sustainability Officer Melinda Glasgow said.
The manager of the Green Corner Store in Little Rock has been helping on the city’s task force.
“We are a single-use society and we don’t buy enough durable goods because we think of everything in terms of very convenient. And plastic bags have become so used everywhere in our society,” Shelley Green said.
Her store promotes using sustainable, eco-conscious home products.
“Plastics just live in our environments for many, many years,” Green said.
She said all of us could be doing a little bit more to reduce waste.
“I think that people are becoming more conscious about our environment, especially the current generation, is more concerned about the damage done to our environment,” Green said.
In February, findings from the survey will be presented to the city’s board of directors.
“Right now, there are eight states that have either banned or taxed plastic bags statewide and about 200 municipalities that have done so,” Glasgow said.
So far, the city has received over 600 responses since the survey was posted this morning and it will be available until January 10.