Boston banned thin single-use plastic carryout bags effective December 14, 2018, phased in by store size. Retailers must offer compostable plastic (BPI-certified), recyclable paper, or reusable bags and charge at least 5 cents per bag. The Massachusetts state legislature has considered a statewide ban repeatedly but has not enacted one.
Boston Ordinance 7-1.4, passed December 2017 and effective December 14, 2018, banned single-use thin-film plastic carryout bags at all retail establishments in the city. Compliant alternatives include: (1) recyclable paper bags with 40% post-consumer recycled content, (2) BPI-certified compostable plastic bags, or (3) durable reusable bags (woven cloth or non-woven polypropylene). Each compliant bag must be sold for at least 5 cents, retained by the retailer. Massachusetts is one of the few coastal states without a statewide ban — bills have been filed in every session since 2019 but none has passed, so cities (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, Provincetown) act independently. As of 2026 more than 150 Massachusetts municipalities have local bans.
Boston Inspectional Services issues warnings on first offense, then fines: $50 second violation, $100 each subsequent violation. Each day of continued non-compliance counts as a separate violation. Report at 311 or bos:311 app.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Boston, MA
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Boston, MA
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Boston, MA
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Boston, MA
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Boston, MA
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Boston, MA
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