Business groups object to paper bag fee in Massachusetts environmental bond bill
As a $3.6 billion environmental bond bill moves through the Massachusetts Senate, some business groups are objecting to a provision in the legislation that would ban plastic bags at stores throughout the state and institute a 10-cent fee for paper bags.
The bill was being debated Wednesday on Beacon Hill, with lawmakers in the Democratic majority speaking in support of the measure. Sen. Jason Lewis of Winchester noted that more than 160 cities and towns in the state already prohibit single-use plastic bags at retailers.
"Seventy percent of Massachusetts residents already live in a community with a plastic bag ban," Lewis said. "The provisions included in the bill today would put in place a uniform statewide policy for eliminating the use of plastic shopping bags."
The National Federation of Independent Businesses is one of the industry groups opposed to a bag fee or ban.
"Once again, the political rhetoric on Beacon Hill is completely at odds with policy when it comes to state lawmakers taking affordability seriously," the organization's Massachusetts state director Christopher Carlozzi said in a statement. "The last thing Commonwealth small businesses need is additional mandates, fees, and taxes that make owners' jobs more difficult and products and services more expensive for their customers."
The Retailers Association of Massachusetts said the bill would only raise costs on families and businesses.
"Given the dramatic consumer spending shifts to online purchasing and delivery, more government red tape – combined with increased consumer costs and fewer choices – will only accelerate that trend, meaning more dark store fronts, fewer jobs, and lower tax revenues," the group said.
The Senate has passed bills banning single-use plastics before, but they have failed to become law. Sen. Becca Rausch of Needham said Wednesday that "everywhere you look, there is far too much plastic waste."
"We have a significant plastics problem," she said. "Massachusetts uses an estimated two billion plastic bags every year, requiring 10 million gallons of oil to produce. That's nearly the volume of oil in the Exxon spill every single year in plastic bags."
Some stores in Massachusetts already charge for paper bags. Stop & Shop briefly charged 10 cents for paper bags before rescinding the policy in 2024.
The Massachusetts Food Association, which represents supermarkets and small grocery stores in the state, said it supports a statewide plastic bag ban. But the organization says retailers should be able to keep the 10-cent paper bag fee instead of splitting it with the state, and there should be adequate time to let stores deplete their plastic bag inventory and educate the public about a change.
