Charging for plastic shopping bags can actually lead to cleaner beaches, study shows

Fewer plastic shopping bags end up on shorelines in areas with bans or fees, according to a new study - (Getty/iStock)

Plastic bag bans and fees are actually working to help decrease litter along shorelines, researchers reveal.

Local laws enforcing bans or fees for plastic shopping bags are associated with a 25 to 47 percent decrease in plastic bag litter found during shoreline cleanups, according to a new study in the peer-reviewed journal Science.