Town Of Dedham: Dedham Plastic Bag Ban Goes Into Effect Friday July 23

Press release from the Town of Dedham:

07/22/2021 1:41 PM

As a first step in the process to ban plastic bags here in Dedham, a public notice was printed in the April 23 issue of the Dedham Times to announce the ban will go into effect on Friday, July 23, 2021. The plastic bag ban was officially adopted following a vote at Town Meeting on November 25, 2019, and aims to protect our natural resources by reducing the impact of plastic and promoting the use of reusable shopping bags.

Single-use plastic bags contribute to the pollution of natural environments, clog drainage systems, endanger wildlife, require crude oil to manufacture, and create a burden to solid waste collection and recycling facilities.

• Waste Management estimates that 14 billion plastic shopping bags are used in the U.S. annually, and that only 1% of these are recycled. And “free” plastic shopping bags cost U.S. retailers $4 billion each year.
• Plastic bags end up in the Charles River and other local bodies of water where they harm marine life. In addition, plastic bags and films contaminate Dedham’s curbside recycling program and drive up the cost to taxpayers. In 2019, those additional costs were approximately $32,000.

As of July 23, 2021, plastic bags shall not be distributed, used or sold for checkout or other uses at retails stores within Dedham. In lieu of plastic bags, stores may provide recyclable paper bags, or reusable shopping bags (may charge for bags). To read the full regulation, please visit the Town Clerk's website: https://ecode360.com/36589436.

Have plastic bags to recycle? Check out https://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org/ to find nearby locations to recycle your bags.

This press release was produced by the Town of Dedham. The views expressed here are the author’s own.