Charge For Plastic Bag Use Causes 85% Decrease In The UK

England just became the latest nation to introduce plastic carrier bag charge last year, and under the new rules introduced in October, any major retailer that employs more than 250 staff members has to charge 5 pence (6 cents) for every single-use bag they give a way.

Progress! UK shoppers to use 6 BILLION FEWER plastic bags this year after 5p charge imposed https://t.co/gAjd8pgsDX pic.twitter.com/0WXZKxokXX

— Oceanwire (@Oceanwire) July 31, 2016

Results have been great - six months later, the use of plastic bags decreased from more than 7 billion in 2014 to 640 million in the first six months since the introduction of the new levy - making an impressive 85 percent drop in the number of bags issued across England, as reported by IFL Science.

This follows the same trend seen in the rest of the UK - bag use decreased 71 percent in Northern Ireland, 76 percent in Wales, and 80 percent in Scotland the years after the charge was introduced. Meanwhile, for those who continue using plastic bags, the charge raised nearly $40 million, the amount then donated to charities and environmental causes, as well as community groups.

"Taking six billion plastic bags out of circulation is fantastic news for all of us," Environment Minister Therese Coffey said in a statement via CNBC. "It will mean our precious marine life is safer, our communities are cleaner and future generations won't be saddled with mountains of plastic sat taking hundreds of years to break down in landfill sites."

The environmental impact of these bags is important - the Marine Conservation Society said that animals can mistake them for food, and could get tangled up in them, causing a range of problems, including infections, strangulation, and in severe cases, even death.

But how will this kind of law fare in the US? That remains to be seen - according to ABC News, California is set on deciding the plastic bag ban in a referendum in November, and the New York City Council will implement its 5-cent fee for plastic bag use beginning October 1.