Effects of Plastic Bag Regulations on the Chesapeake Bay

Abstract

Microplastic pollution in waterways poses a critical environmental challenge worldwide by having long lasting effects on wildlife, human health, and ecological balance. To address this issue, many local governments have implemented plastic bag bans as a mitigation measure. This research investigates the effectiveness of such policies in reducing microplastic levels within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by drawing data from the USGS Water and Chesapeake Bay Data Hub. After merging plastic ban status from each county’s website with water quality data, we examined changes in particulate inorganic carbon and total organic nitrogen levels across various locations surrounding the Chesapeake Bay. Previous research reveals that higher levels of microplastics in water typically increases the amount of organic nitrogen present in the water and decreases the amount of inorganic carbon found in the water. Since our current data contains water quality up until 2021, Harford county is the only county with an effective plastic ban. Because of this, we do not yet have conclusive evidence regarding the effectiveness of plastic bans on microplastic pollution levels. Despite inconclusive findings, this study underscores the importance of addressing microplastic pollution for environmental sustainability and underscores the need for further investigation to inform policy-making and conservation efforts.