A plastic bag ban takes effect in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on January 1. Beacon Hill lawmakers are considering a statewide ban — but more and more communities aren't waiting.
According to the Sierra Club, more than 130 cities and towns across the state have passed ordinances that ban single-use plastic shopping bags at stores.
They include Springfield, Northampton, Greenfield, Great Barrington and Lee.
Clint Richmond is with the Massachusetts Sierra Club, which has pushed for the prohibitions.
"We are continuing to pass them every month practically," he said. "While we're waiting for a strong law at the state level, we're seeing a lot of local action — and the more local action we have, the more likely we are to pass something strong at the state level."
The Massachusetts Senate approved a plastic bag ban in November. The House is now looking at its own bill.
The Sierra Club says Massachusetts has more local bans on single-use plastic bags than any other state besides California.
