Why is plastic bag litter a problem?
Isle of Wight County’s agricultural community has been greatly impacted by plastic bag litter. The plastic becomes entangled in crops, mainly cotton, and contaminates it. This “trash” cannot be eliminated through the ginning process causing the grade, or quality, of the cotton to be reduced. The County is also aware that a calf died after ingesting a plastic bag, which was littered onto a farmer’s pasture. Plastic bag litter also has negative impacts on the health of the Chesapeake Bay, economic activity, and the aesthetic appeal of local communities throughout Hampton Roads. Our Solution Isle of Wight County, along with the Virginia Retail Federation, formed the Virginia Plastic Bag Coalition to examine the issues related to plastic bags. Members of this coalition include the Retail Alliance, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, HR Clean, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, local governments, plastic bag recyclers, plastic bag manufacturers, and many others. A
