A Growing List Of Massachusetts Communities With Single-Use Plastic Bag Bans

As Beacon Hill lawmakers consider a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, more and more communities aren't waiting.

According to the Sierra Club, more than 130 cities and towns across the state have passed ordinances that ban single-use plastic shopping bags at stores. Those communities with bans represent more than half of the state's population.

They include some of the state's largest communities, from Boston to Springfield, and span the state, from Provincetown to Pittsfield.

Clint Richmond is with the Massachusetts Sierra Club, which has pushed for the prohibitions.

"We are continuing to pass them every month practically," he said. "While we're waiting for a strong law at the state level, we're seeing a lot of local action — and the more local action we have, the more likely we are to pass something strong at the state level."

The Massachusetts Senate approved a plastic bag ban in November. The House is now looking at its own bill.

The Sierra Club says Massachusetts has more local bans on single-use plastic bags than any other state besides California.

This story is a production of the New England News Collaborative  and was originally published by New England Public Radio.