Plastic Bags
Plastic Bag Impacts
Litter waterways and lands
Made of fossil fuels
Local environmental impacts from petroleum extraction
Climate impacts from disposal in incinerators
Harm wildlife that consume or get trapped
Tangle and slow recycling equipment
Costly to local governments to manage and clean up
Avoidable products that are used for just minutes and then persist in landfills or the environment for years
Break down into microplastics that absorb toxins and continue to pollute
Impacts can be avoided by switching to reusable carryout bags!
Bag Ban Results
The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore hosts an annual Mr. Trash Wheel Dumpster Dive where volunteers sort a dumpster of trash and debris that has been captured by the Trash Wheel. Plastic bag counts decreased since the Baltimore City Plastic Bag Ban went into effect in 2022. Trash Free Maryland’s cleanups have also found fewer plastic bags in our cleanups since the ban went into effect.
Key Elements to Effective Plastic Bag Legislation
Plastic bag bans and fees are key elements of effective bring your own bag legislation. Bans on problematic items like plastic bags decrease their presence in the environment, while fees on alternative non-plastic bags provided by the seller are designed to incentivize customers to bring their own bag.
Plastic Carryout Bag Ban
A complete ban on plastic carryout bags; plastic carryout bags cannot be distributed at checkout at businesses.
Eliminate bag litter at the source with strong regulations and few exemptions
Easier to monitor compliance
Encourages use of reusable bags or skipping a bag when unnecessary
Effective policies include strong definitions of “reusable” bags, such as requiring stitched handles, non-film plastic, etc.
Plastic Carryout Bag Fee
A fee on plastic carryout bags; individuals are charged a fee per bag (often 5-10¢).
Revenues collected may be allocated to local priorities such as litter cleanups or water quality protection
Reduces some plastic bag litter
Fee can disincentivize using a paper carryout bag
Use continued to increase year over year in places like Montgomery County until the county updated its bag policy from a fee to a ban on plastic carryout bags (in most county jurisdictions)
Plastic Carryout Bag Ban & Paper Bag Fee (Hybrid Approach)
A ban and fee hybrid system; Ban plastic carryout bags (prohibit plastic carryout bags) and add a 5-10¢ fee on paper or non-film plastic reusable bags at checkout.
Significantly reduce plastic bag litter and disposal problems with strong regulations and few exemptions
Encourage use of reusable carryout bags with clear definitions of “reusable” to avoid creating loopholes for film plastic bags that are not truly designed to be reused many times (examples include details like stitched handles, non-film plastic, etc.)
Customizable with options to allow merchants to keep all or a portion of the fee or to allocate some of the revenue to cleanup or outreach programs mitigating impacts of bags in the environment
Jurisdictions in Maryland with Plastic Bag Bans or Fees
17 Total Jurisdictions
Counties: Baltimore County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County
Cities/Towns: City of Frederick, City of Salisbury, City of Greenbelt, City of College Park, City of Takoma Park, City of Laurel, City of Westminster, Town of Chestertown, Town of Easton, Town of Centreville, Baltimore, City of Annapolis
Maryland’s county and local bag policies
Counties
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In effect November 1, 2023
Fee and Ban
5¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic carryout bags
-
In effect October 1, 2020
Fee
5¢ fee on single-use plastic bags
-
In Effect January 1, 2012
Fee
5¢ fee on single-use plastic bags
New! Goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026:
Ban on plastic bags
10¢ fee on paper bags
-
In effect January 1, 2024
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect January 1, 2024
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic bags
Cities/Towns
-
In effect January 1st, 2024
Ban
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect July 1st, 2023
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect January 1st, 2024
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect September 1, 2023
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
-
In effect December 1, 2016
Ban
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect October 1, 2021
Fee and Ban
Ban plastic bags
5 cent fee other bags
-
In effect January 1, 2022
Fee and Ban
Ban on plastic bags
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
-
In Effect July 1, 2020
Ban
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect January 19, 2012
Ban
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect April 2, 2023
Fee and Ban
Ban on plastic bags
10¢ fee on paper bags provided to customer
-
In effect January 1, 2024
Fee and Ban
Ban on plastic bags
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
-
In effect January 22, 2025
Fee and Ban
Ban plastic bags
10 cent fee other bags