Press Room

On Thursday, June 20, 2024, the Massachusetts Senate will take up and debate legislation to reduce plastics usage and plastic waste in Massachusetts. 

Prohibit all carry-out plastic bags at checkout from retail stores.

• Requires retailers to charge 10 cents for a recycled paper bag or a non-plastic reusable bag at checkout.
• 5 cents of the fee would be expended on environmental protection measures across the Commonwealth.
• Allows the retailer to keep the remainder of the fee to recoup the costs of providing paper bags.
• This is the second time the Senate has led the way on banning plastic bags. The first time the Senate passed this policy was in 2019. Roughly half of Massachusetts communities currently prohibit plastic bags.

Make straws and plasticware available by request only. Prevents disposable food service ware and straws from automatically being given to customers when they buy food or beverage products.

Prohibit state purchases of plastic bottles. Prohibits state agencies from purchasing single-use plastic bottles.

Increase Statewide Bulk Plastic Recycling. Creates a statewide program for the recycling of large plastic objects, such as car seats.

More effectively label non-flushable wipes.

• Requires non-flushable wipes to be clearly labeled with “Do Not Flush” warnings to prevent disruptions to the Commonwealth’s sewer system.
• Creates a new public awareness program to educate consumers on the dangers of flushing non-flushable wipes.
• The Massachusetts Association of Land Surveyors and Civil Engineers has estimated that Massachusetts faces around $10 million in avoidable costs every year fixing problems directly caused by the flushing of these non-flushable wipes.

Creates a composting report. Directs the Department of Environmental Protection to submit a report on the Commonwealth’s progress toward expanding access to composting across the Commonwealth.

Creates a Producer Responsibility Commission. Establishes 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. 

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