Emily Norton, (508) 397-6839, emily.norton@sierraclub.org
Emily Pomilio (480) 286-0401, emily.pomilio@sierraclub.org
Boston, MA—Boston is on its way to becoming the largest city on the East Coast to pass plastic bag regulations today. Similar to that of Cambridge’s, which went into effect in March of 2016, Boston’s comprehensive law requires recycled content in paper bags, and that reusable bags be durable by having a minimum thickness. The Boston regulations also include a modest 5¢ fee on all single-use bags to encourage shoppers to bring their own bags. The retailer keeps the fee making this a minimum price not a tax.
Emily Norton, Director of the Massachusetts Sierra Club, said, “We thank the City Council for approving this ordinance, and especially Councilor O’Malley and Council President Wu for their leadership on this critical environmental issue. We urge Mayor Walsh to sign the ordinance.”
This ordinance will help reduce solid waste and litter from the over 200 million single-use plastics bags Bostonians are estimated to use each year. Plastic bags are often cited as the number one contaminant in curbside residential recycling programs. Derived from non-renewable, fracked natural gas and oil, plastic bags are one of the top sources of beach litter harming marine animals. Because the bags do not biodegrade, remnants of the plastic products can break down and enter our food chain.
Momentum for a plastic bag ban has been growing rapidly within the state since 2012, when Brookline and Amherst passed local laws restricting plastic bags and polystyrene. Today, across the Commonwealth, there are 59 communities with bag laws, 25 with polystyrene food packaging laws, and 3 with bottled water laws. Massachusetts is now leading the country in reducing single-use plastic packaging and building on California’s success, which implemented a statewide plastic bag ban in November 2016. Additionally, about 40 countries such as France and Kenya, have banned plastic bags.
Norton added, “We hope today’s result in Boston will lead to the swift passage of the strong, statewide legislation filed by Rep. Lori Ehrlich and Sen. James Eldridge.”
For more information on plastic bags, visit the Massachusetts Sierra Club website.
ABOUT Massachusetts Sierra Club
Sierra Club is the nation's oldest and one of the largest grassroots environmental group. The Massachusetts Chapter was established nearly fifty years ago and has a strong track record of enabling Bay Staters to “enjoy, explore and protect the planet.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.