SITUATION AS IT EVOLVES. A PLASTIC BAG BAN IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO BECOMING LAW IN MASSACHUSETTS. AFTER THE STATE SENATE PASSED THE PLASTIC BAG BAN, STATE SENATOR BECCA RAUSCH INTRODUCED THE BILL AND SHE'S JOINING US LIVE THIS MORNING. PLASTIC BAG BANS ARE ALREADY IN EFFECT IN MOST OF THE STATE. SO WHAT DOES THIS BILL DO? AND GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING TO BE HERE. I AM SO PROUD OF THE PLASTIC BAG BAN AND SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES. UHM, ONE OF THE REALLY MOST IMPORTANT THINGS OF THE MANY THAT THIS BILL WILL DO IS IMPLEMENT THIS STATE-WIDE PLASTIC BAG BAN. AND WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT WE KNOW THAT ALMOST TWO-THIRDS, ACTUALLY MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COMMONWEALTH ALREADY HAVE SOME KIND OF PLASTIC BAG RESTRICTION IN THEIR COMMUNITY. UHM, THIS BILL WILL MAKE IT STATE-WIDE. SO OUR BUSINESSES WILL NOT HAVE TO CHALLENGE WHAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN ONE CITY AND THE NEXT CITY AND THE THIRD CITY, ETC. UHM, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO INTRODUCE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON PLASTIC SERVICE ON CUPS AND STRAWS, UHM, AND SOME OTHER REALLY IMPORTANT PLASTIC REDUCTION MEASURES. AND BECCA, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT IMPACT OF THIS LEGISLATION ON HEALTH AND ALSO ON THE ENVIRONMENT? OF COURSE. SURE. THE PLASTIC INDUSTRY ACTUALLY EMISSIONS ABOUT FOUR TIMES MORE WORLD WARMING EMISSIONS EACH YEAR THAN THE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY. 99% OF PLASTIC COMES FROM FOSSILS AND PETROCHEMICALS. SO WE KNOW THAT REDUCING PLASTIC USE IS IMPERATIVE TO PROTECT OUR PLANET AND TO TAKE THE CLIMATE ACTIONS THAT ARE IMPERATIVE TO MEET OUR 2030 AND 2050 GOALS AND CREATE A LIVABLE PLANET OR GUARANTEE A LIVABLE PLANET FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. IN MASSACHUSETTS WE ALREADY THROW AWAY 900,000 TONS OF PLASTIC WASTE EVERY YEAR AND THIS BILL CAREFULLY INCLUDES SMART MEASURES TO REDUCE THAT WASTE. WOW. THOSE ARE SHOCKING, TERRIFYING NUMBERS. SENATOR. WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS? SURE. THE BILL WILL NOW GO TO OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR REVIEW. UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT INEVITABLY A SHORT TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE OFFICIAL SESSION. LET'S HOPE THAT OUR FRIENDS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WILL GET ON IT. UH, IN THE REMAINING WEEKS OF THE SESSION. AND THEN WE CAN PRESENT A GOOD, STRONG BILL TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HER SIGNATURE. ALL RIGHT. SENATOR BECCA RAUSCH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH

A statewide ban on plastic bags is set to become law in Massachusetts

Updated: 10:33 a.m. EDT, June 23, 2024

The state Senate has passed the Plastics Emissions Reduction Act, which will now move on to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

BOSTON —

The state Senate has passed the Plastics Emissions Reduction Act, which will now move on to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.