Plastic problem: What one tiny Iowa town did to combat it, and how yours ranks

 The message that plastic increasingly fills waste landfills and oceans peaked this spring, as Earth Month in April focused on plastic pollution. In recent years, some states have restricted the use of plastic bags. Other cities across the U.S. have banned plastic straws. It’s not the case in Iowa. Last year, it became Iowa law that cities and counties were barred from banning plastic bags. Plastic straws continue to be a big hit at Iowa restaurants: A check of a dozen popular Des Moines restaurants showed none has quit offering drinking straws.Iowa landfills are fast becoming reservoirs of plastic, which can take more than 400 years to degrade, according to National Geographic.On Tuesday, there was one small indication that some are getting the message.The Metro Waste Authority announced the winner of its Plastic Bag Swap. Residents of 21 Des Moines-area communities were asked to bring in their plastic bags throughout April to be weighed and swapped for a reusable tote. The agency collected 3,168 pounds of bags, more than doubling last year’s total.