Delaware Statewide Plastic Carryout Bag Ban

Title 7, Chapter 60 of the Delaware Code prohibits stores with 7,000 square feet or more, or chains of three or more stores totaling 3,000 square feet, from providing single-use plastic carryout bags at checkout. Effective July 2022, the law was strengthened to cover essentially all retail stores. Acceptable alternatives include reusable bags meeting durability standards and recycled paper bags. Restaurants and certain product categories such as bulk produce, prescription drugs, and dry cleaning bags are exempt.

Retailers face civil penalties of 5 to 25 dollars per day per violation under 7 Del.C. 6097, with DNREC enforcement and warnings before fines.