
Maine and Vermont are joining a growing number of localities banning plastic bags for consumers.
The states signed legislations on the same day, June 17, that will phase out plastic bags among other single-use plastics.
Maine’s bill, LD 1532, prohibits retail establishments from using single-use carry-out bags to bag products at the point of sale or otherwise make single-use carry-out bags available to customers.
Exemptions are available for certain types and uses of plastic and paper bags. For example, pharmacy bags may still be used, as well as newspaper bags, dry cleaning bags and bags used for items such as fruits and vegetables.
Retail establishments may provide recyclable paper bags to bag products at the point of sale for at least 5 cents per bag, with exceptions to the fee requirement for certain types of retail establishments. The prohibition is effective April 22, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Vermont law, SB 113, goes one step further and prohibits food service establishments from providing plastic carryout bags, expanded polystyrene food service products and plastic straws to customers. Straws may be provided to customers on request, and people requiring straws for medical conditions are exempted from the law.
The bag ban applies only to bags at point-of-sale, while household trash bags or produce bags are exempt. It also implements a 10-cent charge for recyclable paper bags.
National Geographic calls Vermont’s legislation the “most comprehensive plastics ban in U.S.”
The law takes effect in July 2020.
The new laws bring the number of statewide plastic bag bans up to four, including California and New York. Hawaii is also notable. While the state government hasn’t implemented a ban, each of its counties has done so.
State lawmakers have introduced at least 95 bills in 2019 related to plastic bags, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Most of these bills would ban or place a fee on plastic bags. Others would preempt local government action or improve bag recycling programs.
Plastic bags have been taxed or banned in 127 nations, according to a United Nations count.
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