Politics & Government

Marblehead Voters Approve Ban on Plastic Bags, Styrofoam Containers

Town Meeting voters in Marblehead approved a ban on thin-film plastic bags and styrofoam food and beverage containers Monday night.


Pretty soon, customers shopping in Marblehead will no longer leave local businesses with their items in thin-film, single-use plastic bags - and their coffees and to-go orders will no longer come in styrofoam containers.

At Town Meeting Monday night, Marblehead residents approved two Warrant items calling for a ban on thin-film single-use plastic bags and styrofoam food and beverage containers at local businesses.

The Board of Health, the Director of Public Health and people designated by the Director of Public Health will be responsible for enforcing the new town bylaws, which will be phased in over the next 12 months.

The bylaws stipulate that after a written warning has been issued to a violator, a fine of $25 will be issued for a first violation after a warning; a $50 fine will be issued for a second violation after a warning and any other subsequent violations.

The ban on styrofoam containers does not pertain to the packaging of uncooked meat, uncooked poultry and uncooked meat.

Here's a little more information straight from this year's Town Meeting Warrant

"The production and use of thin-film, single-use checkout bags have been shown to have significant detrimental impacts on the environment, including, but not limited to , contributing to the potential death of marine animals through ingestion and entanglement; contributing to pollution of the land environment; creating a burden to solid waste collection and recycling facilities; clogging storm drainage systems; and requiring the use of millions of barrels of crude oil nationally for their manufacture. The purpose of this bylaw is to eliminate the usage of thing-film, single-use plastic bags in Marblehead, thereby promoting the health and safety of the citizens of the town through the preservation of the environment."

"Expanded polystyrene food containers from a significant portion of the solid waste stream going into our landfills. Local landfills are running out of room; our future solid waste may need to be transported hundreds of miles to a landfill at a considerable cost. Expanded polystyrene items are not biodegradable; once buried in a landfill, they will remain for centuries. The elimination of expanded polystyrene food and beverage containers is in the best interest of the health and welfare of the inhabitants of the Town of Marblehead." 

What do you think of the plastic bag ban? How about the ban on styrofoam food and beverage containers?

Let us know in the comments section below.


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