Maine bans plastic bags

Natural Resources Council =Maine has become the third state in the nation to ban the use of single-use plastic shopping bags statewide. The move comes shortly after the state became the first in the nation to ban polystyrene foam food containers.

Today, Governor Janet Mills signed into law LD 1532, a collaborative bill sponsored by Representative Holly Stover (D-Boothbay) and supported by conservationists, grocers, and retailers who worked together to craft a consistent, statewide approach for reducing pollution caused by single-use plastic bags while promoting reusable shopping bags. 

The new law, which goes into effect on Earth Day (April 22, 2020), will address harmful plastic pollution and help Maine’s towns save money by:

• Prohibiting the distribution of single-use plastic shopping bags at the point of sale at retail establishments in Maine; and
• Placing a minimum five-cent fee on recycled paper bags available at the point of sale at most retail locations, to provide an incentive for shoppers to use reusable bags.