Poll claims majority of US voters support policies reducing single-use plastics

Washington-based environmental organization Oceana recently released the results of a nationwide poll claiming a majority of United States voters support policies that reduce single-use plastics.

Nonpartisan polling company Ipsos surveyed 1,111 registered U.S. voters from Dec. 13-15, 2024, using the probability-based KnowledgePanel, and found 78 percent of U.S. voters support national policies that reduce single-use plastic foam. Additionally, the poll claims 8 in 10 registered voters report concern about plastic pollution, with widespread bipartisan support for reducing the amount of plastic produced and requiring companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging and food ware such as beverage bottles, grocery bags and foam food containers.

“The results are clear: U.S. voters are united in their concern about plastic pollution and the need for strong policies to address it,” says Christy Leavitt, Oceana’s plastics campaign director. “Lawmakers must take action to reduce the amount of plastic being produced and move from throwaway plastic to refillable and reusable systems.

“Single-use plastic is harming our oceans, health and communities. Policies to reduce single-use plastic items, like plastic foam food ware and takeout containers, have overwhelming support from American voters. It’s time for our federal and state leaders to reduce plastic pollution at the source.”

Key findings from the poll include:

• 81 percent of U.S. voters support reducing the amount of plastic being produced.
• 80 percent of U.S. voters support state and local policies that reduce single-use plastic foam.
• 85 percent of U.S. voters support increasing the use of reusable packaging and food ware.
• 80 percent of U.S. voters support requiring companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging and food ware.
• 82 percent of U.S. voters support protecting people in neighborhoods that are affected by pollution from nearby plastic production facilities.
• 82 percent of U.S. voters support reducing the amount of single-use plastic state and federal governments buy and use.

Oceana notes that plastic foam, formally known as expanded polystyrene (EPS), is made from fossil fuels and frequently is used for takeout food containers and packaging materials such as packing peanuts. The organization adds that plastic foam is light weight and brittle, breaking up into small pieces that can be difficult to clean up and can spread easily into air and water.

“One of the most common plastics found polluting our beaches and waterways, plastic foam can also harm ocean wildlife, as sea turtles, seabirds and other ocean animals mistake plastic foam for food,” Oceana claims in a news release announcing the poll results. “Styrene, the building block of plastic foam, is considered a probable carcinogen, and it has been found to leach out of plastic foam food containers, posing a threat to human health. So far, 12 states and hundreds of local governments have passed laws to phase out plastic foam products.”