Hamilton Receives Approval for Plastic Bag, Polystyrene Ban

The ban on thin plastic film bags and polystyrene containers in Hamilton has passed a state hurdle.

Hamilton voters in April approved the ban, but it needed approval by the Massachusetts attorney general before it could take effect. The bylaw would take effect 12 months after the town received approval from the attorney general. The town received that approval on July 27, 2015.

The bylaw takes effect July 27, 2016.

Under the new bylaw, no retail establishment in Hamilton can provide customers with “Thin-Film, Single-Use Plastic Bags,” the specific definition of which is detailed in the bylaw, but basically equates to the type of bags typical at grocery store checkouts.

>>> Check out the full text of the bylaw.

Thin plastic bags such as though for bulk goods, dry cleaning, wet items, newspapers, produce, meat or similar type bags are not prohibited under the bylaw.

The bylaw also prohibits businesses and restaurants from giving customers polystyrene containers described as “single-use disposable products for serving or transporting prepared, ready-to-consume food or beverages, including, without limitation, take-out foods and/or leftovers from partially consumed meals prepared by a restaurant and/or retail food establishment.”

The Hamilton Board of Health is tasked with approving a list of available and “affordable biodegradable/compostable or recyclable alternatives” to the old polysytrene options within 60 days of the attorney general’s approval.

What do you think of the ban? Are you a business owner who is having to make changes because of the bylaw? Tell us about it in the comments.