East Providence Becomes Latest RI Community To Ban Plastic Bags

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — The City of East Providence has joined a dozen other cities and towns across Rhode Island in banning single-use plastic bags. The city council approved the ordinance on Tuesday. It will take effect in November.

East Providence's 1998 health and sanitation ordinance has been amended to ban all single-use plastic bags in city stores, as well as encourage retailers to make reusable bags available for sale. All stores that provide plastic bags, such as for produce, are required to collect and recycle them. It is set to go into effect six months following its approval.

13 other Rhode Island cities and towns have implemented plastic bags bans and a statewide ban has been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate.

According to baglaws.com, the following cities and towns have implemented bag bans:

• Barrington
• Bristol
• Jamestown
• Middletown
• Narragansett
• New Shoreham (Block Island)
• Newport
• North Kingston
• Portsmouth
• Providence
• South Kingstown
• Tiverton
• Warren

Related:

• Providence City Council Approves Citywide Plastic Bag Ban
• Senate Committee Discusses Plastic Bag, Straw Bans
• South Kingstown Cutting Back on Plastic Bag Use
  
• Barrington Town Council Expands Plastic Ban
• Considering a Plastic Bag Ban in Cranston (Opinion)