Massachusetts is one step closer to banning plastic bags, reducing straw and plasticware use

BOSTON — Massachusetts is one step closer to banning plastic bags and reducing straw and plasticware use.

The state Senate on Thursday passed legislation that would ban single-use plastic bags, make straws and plasticware available by request only, and make it easier to recycle, Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said in a statement.

The legislation passed in the Senate by a vote of 38-2. It now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“Limiting our plastics use means less trash in our water ways and on our streets, and giving our kids the green, clean planet they deserve to inherit. This is a crucial part of achieving the Commonwealth’s climate goals,” Spilka said.

Senators said the bill, S.2830, An Act to reduce plastic would drastically reduce plastic waste that is too often found in streets and waterways, and too often fills landfills and disposal sites, ultimately harming the environment in Massachusetts communities and contributing to global climate change. Plastics are also made using fossil fuels.

The legislation will prohibit carry-out plastic bags at retail stores statewide and require stores to charge 10 cents for recycled paper bags, five cents of which will be allocated to environmental protection measures. The bill provides a limited exemption from the requirement to collect 10 cents for small local retailers.

The bill will also prevent plastic utensils and straws from automatically being given to consumers, prohibit single-use plastic bottle purchases by state agencies, and create a statewide program for recycling large plastic objects such as car seats.

Further, it increases statewide bulk plastic recycling by creating a statewide program for the recycling of large plastic objects, such as car seats.

Sen. Michael Rodrigues, a Westport Democrat who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, called the legislation “vital.”

“This vital legislation is another step forward towards eradicating plastics, a top environmental offender, in our everyday life,” Rodrigues said in a statement. “We need to continue to move away from harmful plastics and throwaway products, like Europe has, and prioritize bio and ego friendly products and services to stay abreast of the global economy.”

Sen. Rebecca Rausch, a Needham Democrat and Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, said plastics pollute communities and harm the planet.

“From microplastics in our blood to plastic bags in our waterways to greenhouse gases in our air, plastics pollute and harm our people and planet,” Rausch said in a statement. “The Plastics Reduction Act will prevent billions of single-use plastic bags, bottles, cutlery, and wipes from clogging up our environment, pipes, and landfills each year. This is a major win for our climate, our wildlife, and our health.”

As of May 2023, 162 Massachusetts cities and towns, making up nearly 70 percent of the state’s population, have already regulated single-use plastic bags, according to the Massachusetts Sierra Club.

Also, in an effort to reduce the $10 million annually in avoidable costs directly caused by the flushing of non-flushable wipes, the bill will require non-flushable wipes to be clearly labeled with “Do Not Flush” warnings to prevent disruptions to the Commonwealth’s sewer system.

The legislation would also eliminate the purchasing of plastic bottles by state agencies, and codify Gov. Maura Healey’s 2023 Executive Order on single-use plastic bottles.

The bill would boost composting, the natural recycling of organic food scraps and materials, by directing the Department of Environmental Protection to submit a report on the state’s progress toward expanding access to composting.

It would also establish a new commission to make recommendations on ways in which the state can encourage or require businesses to support recycling of efforts for the products that they produce.

It is the second time the Massachusetts Senate has taken action to prohibit single-use plastic bags statewide.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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