Chelsea, MA Single-Use Items: Plastic Bag Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Effective
- Ord. of 12-17-2018
- Fine
- $100 per violating bag
- First offense
- warning + 14-day cure period
- Enforced by
- Inspectional Services or Health & Human Services
- Reusable bag
- min 3.0 mils thick
- Recyclable paper bag
- min 40% post-consumer content
Summary
Chelsea bans plastic checkout bags at retail establishments citywide. Under Code of Ordinances section 10-4, adopted December 17, 2018, stores may only distribute compostable plastic bags, recyclable paper bags with 40 percent recycled content, or heavy reusable bags at least 3.0 mils thick, or face a fine.
The reduction in the use of disposable plastic shopping bags by retail establishments in the City of Chelsea is a public purpose that protects the marine environment, advances solid waste reduction, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and protects waterways. ... (c)Requirements.(1)If any retail establishment provides a checkout bag to customers, the bag shall comply with the requirements of being a compostable plastic bag, recyclable paper bag or a reusable bag. ... (d)Penalties; warnings; and enforcement.(1)Penalties. Each violation of this section shall be subject to a fine of $100.00. Each use of a bag that violates this section shall constitute a separate offense.(2)Warnings. The first offense by a retail establishment shall result in a warning only. Following such warning, the retail establishment shall have 14 days to correct the violations. No fine shall issue prior to 14 days after the initial warning.(3)Enforcement. This section shall be enforced by the inspectional services department or the health and human services director.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26).
Full Breakdown
Chelsea's plastic bag ordinance, adopted December 17, 2018 as section 10-4 of the Code of Ordinances, targets the checkout bags retail establishments hand out at the point of sale. 0 mils thick. The ordinance carves out several bag types from the 'checkout bag' definition entirely: bags used by customers to bag loose produce, laundry or dry-cleaner bags, newspaper bags, and bags used to wrap frozen food, meat or fish. ' Enforcement runs through the Inspectional Services Department or the Health and Human Services Director. A first violation draws a warning only, with 14 days to correct the problem before any fine can issue; after that, each noncompliant bag used is a separate $100 offense.
Retailers facing genuine hardship, such as no reasonable compliant alternative or an existing inventory of noncompliant bags, can apply to the director of municipal inspections or health and human services director for a one-year exemption, filing monthly inventory-reduction reports for the duration, and the city may charge a fee for that exemption request.
Violations & Fines
Each bag that violates section 10-4 is a separate offense carrying a $100.00 fine. A retailer's first offense results only in a written warning and a 14-day period to come into compliance; no fine issues during that window. Repeat or uncorrected violations are cited and fined per bag by the Inspectional Services Department or the Health and Human Services Director.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Chelsea store still hand out plastic bags?
What happens on a first violation?
Can a business apply for an exemption?
Who enforces the plastic bag ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelsea
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Plastic Bag Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle plastic bag rules.