Worcester Litter Cleanup Backed By Group Opposing 'Nip' Ban

WORCESTER, MA — A litter pickup event planned in Worcester this weekend will be cosponsored by a group that opposes banning one of the most common forms of litter: alcohol "nip" bottles.

The group Keep Massachusetts Beautiful — a statewide litter cleanup nonprofit that's been operating since 2014 — and Pick Up Mass are organizing Saturday's "Great Worcester Cleanup" event at University Park. Pick Up Mass is a new group backed by "alcoholic beverage companies, distributors, and local wine and spirits stores with a presence in Massachusetts," according to a press release about the Worcester event.

The Pick Up Mass website says the group opposes local nip bans in the state, and wants to "develop real solutions" to the litter problem. The website does not explicitly provide a solution, but urges residents to get engaged in local litter cleanups.

"Towns across the state are proposing bans on small liquor bottles (nips). This will do nothing to solve the problem of littering, but it will severely hurt small businesses in Massachusetts during these tough economic times," the Pick Up Mass website says.

"We are rolling up our sleeves and organizing pick-up events across the state to solve the problem of litter. Bans won’t help, but you can," the website continues.

Pick Up Mass is organized as a 501(c)6 nonprofit, a type of tax status typically granted to chambers of commerce and trade groups. The group received its tax-exempt status in September, according to IRS records. The Internal Revenue Service allows 501(c)6 organizations to engage in political activities like lobbying.

Plastic nip bottles can be found littered along just about every roadside in the state, and plenty of other places. A handful of communities have already banned the tiny bottles: Chelsea, Falmouth, Newton and Wareham, whose ban just went into effect last month. When Falmouth set out to ban nips in 2021, Attorney General Maura Healey said in a ruling that cities and towns in Massachusetts can ban commercial activities, and cited plastic bag bans as similar to banning nips.

"[T]his Office has approved by-laws banning the sale of plastic water bottles; plastic straws; Styrofoam containers; plastic bags; soft drinks; and balloons," Healey's ruling said.

Worcester has looked into banning nips in the past, but so far has no formal proposal has been brought to the table.

Neil Rhein, the founder of Keep Massachusetts Beautiful, said he welcomed the Pick Up Mass support in cleaning up litter. The Worcester cleanup is one of 20 across Massachusetts the two groups will sponsor this year.

"We are beginning to see momentum build across these communities, as hundreds of participants have come out in support of these cleanups," Rhein said in a news release about the Worcester cleanup. "People want to live in beautiful, clean neighborhoods now and for decades to come. With the support of Pickup Mass, we are happy to give Massachusetts residents the ability to participate in keeping their state litter-free."

Volunteers for the Worcester cleanup will meet at 9:30 a.m. at University Park (also called Crystal Park), 965 Main St. Supplies will be provided. If you want to help with the cleanup, register on the Keep Massachusetts Beautiful website.