It is the organization MCS (Marine Conservation Society) that, in connection with beach cleaning days, counts the litter, writes The Guardian. In the latest report, a bag was found per 100 meters of coastline, which can be compared to five bags on the corresponding stretch in 2014.
MCS links the figures to the fees on bags that stores were forced to introduce through new laws in different parts of the country between 2011-2015.
It's wonderful to see that policies against single-use plastic, such as carrier bags, are working, says Lizzie Price at MCS to The Guardian.
However, the organization still finds plastic litter on 97 percent of coastlines, and urges authorities to speed up deposit programs and other measures against single-use plastic.
Sweden introduced a similar plastic bag tax in 2020 and according to the Environmental Protection Agency, it contributed significantly to a sharp decrease in the use of plastic bags already in 2021. The decrease has persisted, the use meets the targets set by the EU and a decision has been made to abolish the tax in the fall.
