WASHINGTON– Today, during Plastic Free July, Ocean Conservancy launched a new report, United States of Plastics, that analyzes state-level efforts to combat plastic pollution on a five-point scale. On average, U.S. states scored 1.5 stars, or “needs improvement,” with 44 out of 50 states and D.C. scoring below 3 stars.

“Overall, the results are disappointing,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Director of Plastics Policy, Dr. Anja Brandon. “Four in five Americans consider plastic pollution to be the most pressing issue facing our ocean, yet only six states ranked as ‘good’ or above in our study. We hope that the United States of Plastics report inspires policy change and gives a benchmark for states to measure their progress in combating plastic pollution in the years to come.” 

The report reviews over 20 factors related to plastic pollution policy, including positive actions such as: 

• bans on single-use plastic items like bags, straws, foam and utensils
• preventing microplastics
• bottle bills 
• recycling rates and accessibility 
• and more

And actions hindering progress such as:

• laws that prohibit local governments from regulating single-use plastics 

Ocean Conservancy has long advocated for policies to prevent and tackle plastic pollution at the state level, including the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act in California, also known as SB54; single-use plastic bans in California, Florida, Illinois, and Oregon; banning the intentional release of balloons in Florida; and more.

“States are on the frontlines of tackling our plastic pollution crisis — they bear the costs of cleanup, recycling operations, and the consequences of plastic pollution in our communities,” added Dr. Brandon. “That’s why state-level action is not only appropriate, it’s essential. When we pass policies that reduce plastic waste at the source, we save taxpayer dollars, protect public health, and deliver immediate, tangible benefits to local communities and ecosystems.”

More than a garbage truck’s worth of plastic enters the ocean every single minute. Plastic pollution can be deadly to marine animals that eat or become trapped in it–and microplastics make their way into the seafood and other proteins we eat. The U.S. is the number one generator of plastic waste worldwide, according to a report from the National Academy of Sciences, and ranks as high as third among countries contributing to ocean plastic pollution.

Read the full report and see each state’s individual score HERE.

You can find Ocean Conservancy’s paper on perceptions of plastic pollution in the U.S. HERE.

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Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.