Proposed Statewide Plastic Bag Ban Moves To Massachusetts House

BOSTON (AP) — Action on a bill that would create a statewide ban on all carry-out plastic bags from stores now shifts to the Massachusetts House.

The bill approved by the Massachusetts Senate this week would require retailers to charge at least 10 cents for a recycled paper bag.

Five cents would go to the city or town for enforcement of the ban and other municipal recycling efforts. The remainder would go to the retailer to cover the cost of paper bags.

More than 100 Massachusetts communities already have plastic bag bans.

Some small businesses argue the bill would increase costs for store owners and shoppers.

Eight states — California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon and Vermont — have banned single-use plastic bags, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.