Plastic pollution touches every corner of Savannah — affecting our residents, lush parks, marsh wildlife, ocean water quality, food supply, and the natural environment we all cherish. On Tybee Island, beach cleanups show plastic bags are one of our top 10 pollutants.  Excessive plastic waste burdens waste management systems. Low-income communities often bear the brunt of pollution, as they are more likely to live near areas with high plastic waste accumulation. Additionally, microplastics and nanoplastics (100x smaller than a plant cell) have been found in food, water, and human bodies, posing potential, but unknown, long-term health risks, ie plastic could be the new lead paint.

With the average American using 365 plastic bags in a year,, plastic waste will only continue to accumulate in landfills and oceans. A single plastic bag can take 20-500 years to decompose, meaning that every plastic bag discarded today will persist for generations. However, if bans and regulations on plastic bags are expanded—like that in South Fulton, Georgia, the amount of waste could be significantly reduced. A proposed statewide ban (Senate Bill 49) could create a broader impact, reducing plastic pollution across Georgia.

For these efforts to succeed, public support and enforcement are essential. With recycling rates for plastic bags in Georgia as low as 3%, the time to push for sustainable alternatives is now.

By signing this petition, you are helping show public support for a Savannah-wide policy that prioritizes the myriad of sustainable alternatives to plastic bags. 

Examples in Georgia:

City of South Fulton

• Ordinance ORD2019-027, passed in October 2019 and effective as of 2021, bans various single-use plastic products—including grocery and laundry bags, cups, straws, food containers, and other packaging.
• The ban applies broadly to businesses, vendors, events, and more, while allowing certified compostable or 100% recyclable alternatives.

Dispelling Myth

• It is commonly believed that Georgia law prohibits the banning of single-use plastics, this is a myth

• Senate Bill 139 (2015) would have prohibited cities and counties from banning or regulating “auxiliary containers” (plastic bags, Styrofoam, etc.). It passed the Georgia Senate but failed in the House (85–67 vote). Because it failed, it never became law.

• The good news is — we actually have a window of opportunity in Georgia. We don’t have the state preemption that other southern states do, so cities like Savannah can lead if we mobilize.