Those plastic bags used by supermarkets and convenience stores have gotten a bad review from environmentalists, who view them as wasteful consumables that litter oceans, parks and beaches and take hundreds of years to break down.
 
Voters in at least 14 cities and towns in Massachusetts — including Newburyport, Manchester and Marblehead — have banned the bags or restricted their use. Others are considering limits, including lawmakers on Beacon Hill who are pushing for a statewide ban.
 
Several bills seek to phase out plastic bags. If approved, Massachusetts would become the second state, behind California, to prohibit their use.

“The time has come for a statewide ban, which would put all communities on a level playing field,” Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, told a legislative committee this week. “Plastic bags are everywhere, and they do not decompose. They are getting into our oceans, rivers and streams.”

Legislation filed by Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, would phase out single-use bags by July 1, 2017 and allows retailers to charge a 10-cent fee for biodegradable and reusable bags, as well as recycled paper bags.

Ehrlich worked with officials in her hometown to ban plastic bags and has tried unsuccessfully in recent years for a statewide ban. The problem is not just environmental but economic, she said, because plastic bags drive up waste disposal costs for local governments.

“They’re clogging storm sewers, and they’re causing houses to flood,” she said. “It’s not just marine life.”

‘Consumers want them’

But a bag ban is mostly opposed by retail groups, who call it unnecessary and costly.

Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said most consumers respond to environmental concerns by switching to the reusable bags sold by most supermarkets. As for plastic bags, he said, many people reuse them as trash can liners or to clean up after their pets.

“Bags wouldn’t be there if consumers didn’t want them,” Hurst said. “A ban is not the way to deal with it.”

Surprisingly, some supermarket industry groups say they are willing — albeit grudgingly — to accept statewide restrictions since they would provide some clarity and uniformity.

“Right now we have a patchwork of local regulations, which tends to be confusing to consumers and creates obvious competition issues,” said Chris Flynn, president of the Massachusetts Food Association. “But we understand the concern, and we’re willing to work with the Legislature on a long-term solution.”

Flynn said many of the state’s largest grocers, including Stop & Shop and Market Basket, are working with the state Department of Environmental Protection to reduce the use of plastic bags. Their efforts include accepting used plastic bags and bottles from customers.

Several major U.S. cities — including New York, Denver and Los Angeles — charge fees for plastic bags.

Last year, California became the first state to ban plastic bags. But its law, set to go in effect next month, was put on hold when an industry group, American Progressive Bag Alliance, filed a petition with more than 800,000 signatures to put the question to voters next year.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers there are seeking to repeal the ban.

Ban on bans

Other states are sticking by their bags. In Georgia, lawmakers in March approved a ban on bag bans, effectively preventing communities from regulating “auxiliary containers,” which includes bags, takeout packages and throwaway cups.

Arizona lawmakers in May passed a similar ban on bag bans.

Americans throw away an estimated 100 billion plastic bags a year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which says the average bag takes up to 1,000 years to break down. Most bags are used an average of 12 minutes.

Environmental groups say plastic bags create mountains of trash that is difficult to recycle.

“There’s a lot of plastic products in our lives that would be difficult to replace, but plastic bags are not one of them,” said Emily Norton, executive director of the Massachusetts chapter of the Sierra Club. “It’s a 12-minute convenience that lasts forever.”

Christian Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach him at cwade@cnhi.com.