An Act to reduce plastics

This bill establishes the Massachusetts Plastics Reduction Act to limit the use of single-use plastics by retailers and state agencies. It requires businesses to charge a minimum fee of 10 cents for recycled paper carryout bags while prohibiting the provision of plastic bags unless they are reusable or recycled paper. The legislation also mandates that disposable food service items like straws and utensils be available only upon customer request and restricts state agencies from purchasing small single-use plastic bottles. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection to create a program for recycling bulk plastic materials and grants municipalities the ability to develop local recycling initiatives.