How to Get Rid of Single-Use Plastic in America’s National Parks
America’s national parks are drowning in plastic waste—learn why, and how individuals and policy can solve the problem.
America’s national parks are some of the country’s most treasured landscapes, drawing hundreds of millions of visitors and preserving ecosystems for generations. Unfortunately, they are also under threat from a source that is both modern and widespread: single-use plastic pollution. Discover the scale of this problem, the solutions being discussed, and practical ways to play a part in keeping these natural wonders pristine for all who follow.
Why Are National Parks Facing a Plastic Problem?
Each year, U.S. national parks welcome over 300 million visitors. While many people strive to adhere to principles like “Leave No Trace,” the reality is that tourism generates a staggering amount of waste. According to the National Park Service, approximately 70 million tons of trash accumulates annually on public lands—an amount equivalent to 155 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty. An increasingly significant portion of that is plastic-based waste—especially single-use plastics such as bottles, wrappers, bags, and utensils.
Despite growing awareness and some improved waste management practices, the scale and persistence of the problem make it clear that current voluntary efforts and minor interventions are not sufficient to counteract the rising tide of plastic pollution.
The Scope of Single-Use Plastic Waste in U.S. National Parks
Major research initiatives, such as the Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz project led by the 5 Gyres Institute, have sought to measure the extent of plastic pollution in national parks. Participants and volunteers in more than 30 parks—including popular destinations like Yosemite and Glacier—audited waste and submitted data for analysis. Here are some key findings from recent TrashBlitz reports:
- Plastic is the single largest waste category, making up 66%-81% of all waste recorded in national parks across multiple years.
- Most of the waste is food and beverage-related, including bottles, caps, straws, wrappers, and plastic bags.
- Plastic fragments are everywhere. Due to exposure to sunlight, weather, and animals, plastic items break down into smaller pieces, creating persistent microplastics that are almost impossible to remove from the environment.
- Cigarette butts, composed primarily of cellulose acetate (a type of plastic), are also among the most common trash items alongside wrappers and bottles.
Brand audits revealed that products from Marlboro, Camel, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Budweiser were especially prevalent in the waste collected, with Philip Morris International named as a top corporate polluter in the study.
How Did Single-Use Plastics Become Such a Big Issue?
Several factors have contributed to the explosion of single-use plastic waste in national parks:
- Visitor Convenience: Plastics, especially single-use bottles, utensils, and snack wrappers, offer visitors a lightweight, portable, and easily disposable solution for dining and hydration needs while hiking, camping, or touring.
- Lack of Access to Alternatives: Some parks or nearby businesses still don’t provide adequate water refill stations or promote reusable options, making plastic the default choice for many visitors.
- Inadequate Disposal and Recycling: Remote locations, high visitation numbers, and the limited recycling infrastructure in or near parks hinder effective waste management, further exacerbating the problem when plastic escapes into nature.
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These structural issues, combined with the persistence of plastic in the environment, have created a situation in which even parks meant to serve as pristine refuges are accumulating measurable—and growing—amounts of waste.
Why Is Plastic Pollution Such a Threat in National Parks?
- Environmental Impact: Wildlife can ingest or become entangled in plastics, leading to injury, disease, or death.
- Microplastics: As plastics break down, they form microplastics (< 5mm in size), which are ingested by insects, fish, birds, and contaminate water and soil throughout the park.
- Ecosystem Disruption: Plastics pollute soil and waterways, alter nutrient cycles, and can introduce toxic chemicals into otherwise protected environments.
- Visual Blight: Litter detracts from the natural beauty and visitor experience, contradicting the ideal of protected wilderness.
- Links to Climate Change and Human Health: The entire lifecycle of plastic, from production (which relies on fossil fuels) to degradation, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and can impact public health.
Public Support For Ending Single-Use Plastics in Parks
The vast majority of Americans support phasing out single-use plastics from national parks. Surveys consistently show that between 80-82% of U.S. voters favor prohibiting the sale and distribution of single-use plastics on federal lands. Recent petitions have garnered tens of thousands of public signatures urging agencies to act quickly.
According to Tom Ford, chief executive officer at The Bay Foundation, “Plastics are ubiquitous even in spaces dedicated to safeguarding unimpaired natural and cultural resources… We must take bold action to support the Parks Service in preventing single-use plastics at the source and in advancing reuse and refill systems.”
Policy Efforts and Legislation: Progress and Challenges
Efforts to ban or reduce single-use plastic waste in national parks have ramped up in recent years. Major milestones and ongoing developments include:
- Department of the Interior’s 10-Year Plan: In 2022, the Department announced a commitment to phase out the sale and distribution of single-use plastics on all public lands, including national parks, by 2032. This plan aims to promote reusable alternatives and better waste reduction systems, but its multi-year timeline has drawn criticism from those who see the need for more urgent action.
- The Reducing Waste in National Parks Act: This bill, introduced in Congress, would legally prohibit future sales and distribution of single-use plastics in national parks. Advocates see legislative action as essential, since new administrations could otherwise undo current agency pledges.
- Local Park Initiatives: Some parks have already implemented bans on single-use bottles (for example, Yosemite Hospitality in 2023), installed more water refill stations, or mandated reusable foodware for on-site dining.
Experts stress that passing binding national legislation and accelerating agency action is vital to ensuring the problem doesn’t simply repeat itself year after year.
What Are Parks and Visitors Doing Now?
While agency policy and legislation are crucial, practical on-the-ground solutions have been piloted or adopted across the park system:
- Increased Access to Water Refill Stations: By making refillable options easy and accessible, parks reduce the need for single-use bottles.
- Reusable Serviceware: Some parks have adopted or piloted reusable plate, cup, or food container systems for on-site restaurants and food vendors.
- Waste Audits and Community Science: Initiatives like TrashBlitz engage staff, visitors, and volunteers in tracking, identifying, and recording the types of waste found in each park. This community science data provides an evidence base for targeted policy and cleanup efforts.
- Public Education Campaigns: Many parks and environmental organizations now educate visitors about the plastics problem and offer resources about how to “pack in, pack out,” or use reusable items while traveling through parks.
Successful initiatives often depend on a combination of policy, infrastructure, education, and enthusiastic participation from visitors and concessionaires alike.
How Can You Help Eliminate Single-Use Plastics When Visiting a National Park?
While parks work to overhaul systems and governments debate legislation, individual actions remain an important part of addressing plastic pollution. Here’s what you can do:
- Bring Your Own Reusable Water Bottle: Always pack a durable bottle that can be refilled at park water stations. Stainless steel bottles are especially durable and suitable for most climates.
- Pack Reusable Utensils and Food Containers: Instead of relying on disposable cutlery and single-use food wrappers, use reusable alternatives for meals and snacks.
- Opt for Non-Plastic Packaging: Choose food packed in paper or reusable containers over plastic-wrapped snacks or drinks.
- Pack Out All Your Waste: Take home every piece of trash you produce, including microtrash like bottle caps or wrappers, and dispose of it properly.
- Support Park Policies: Encourage others to follow park rules about plastics and support park initiatives or petitions aimed at reducing single-use waste.
- Participate in Volunteer Cleanup Efforts: Many parks host regular trash cleanup events—joining one can both help keep parks clean and raise awareness for others.
Honoring Indigenous Stewardship
It’s also important to acknowledge that America’s national parks occupy lands originally stewarded for thousands of years by Indigenous peoples. These communities have long practiced forms of land management that honored cyclical natural processes and minimized waste. Restoring Indigenous voices and stewardship can help guide sustainable park management into the future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is plastic so pervasive in national parks?
Plastic is lightweight, cheap, and durable—traits that also make it hard to manage and easy to escape into the environment. Once discarded, it can persist for centuries.
What are the top sources of plastic waste in parks?
Most plastic waste comes from food and beverage packaging (bottles, cups, wrappers), cigarette butts, and plastic bags brought in by visitors or vendors.
How does legislation help?
Laws such as the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act can make bans on the sale and distribution of single-use plastics mandatory and less susceptible to administrative changes.
Can recycling handle the problem?
No. Recycling rates for plastic remain low, especially in remote or high-traffic natural areas. Prevention through reduction and reuse is more effective in these contexts.
What’s the connection between plastics and climate change?
Plastics are made from fossil fuels; their production, distribution, and disposal all emit greenhouse gases, adding to the climate impacts National Park Service lands are meant to mitigate and buffer against.
The Way Forward: Solutions and Shared Responsibility
America’s national parks are both a natural treasure and a national trust. Protecting them from single-use plastic pollution requires:
- Passing strong policy at both federal and park level.
- Building the necessary infrastructure for reuse and waste reduction (refill stations, composting, reusable foodware).
- Engaging visitors, staff, businesses, and local communities in stewardship and education efforts.
- Continuing to monitor, audit, and transparently report waste trends using citizen science and data-driven approaches.
With comprehensive action, robust public support, and a commitment to sustainable recreation, national parks can remain as intended: unimpaired natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.
References
- https://www.visionmonday.com/business/going-green/details-matter/article/the-majority-of-waste-in-us-national-parks-is-singleuse-plastic
- https://www.5gyres.org/newsroom/plastic-doesnt-belong-in-our-national-parks
- https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/blog/2024/8/23/going-beyond-leave-no-trace
- https://npshistory.com/publications/conservation-stewardship/pfnp-trashblitz-2022.pdf
- https://usa.oceana.org/press-releases/americans-are-sick-of-single-use-plastic-pollution-poll-finds/
- https://www.adventurescientists.org/plastic-free-parks.html
- https://www.npca.org/articles/8957-trump-administration-reverses-course-brings-plastics-back-to-litter
- https://www.seasidesustainability.org/post/the-u-s-progress-with-single-use-plastic-bans
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