The Town of Brookline, MA is fighting back against single-use plastic pollution.

In the span of two days, it passed two ordinances banning polystyrene food containers and single-use plastic bags.

On November 13, the town approved the polystyrene ban by a vote of 169-27. The next day, it approved a plastic bag ban by a vote of 142-53. The ordinances are effective starting December 1, 2013.

The bag ordinance applies to large supermarkets ($1 million or more in annual sales), pharmacies, and retailers (at least 2500 square feet in retail space), and exempts compostable, marine-degradable, and produce bags.

The polystyrene ordinance includes all polystyrene-based food containers, and is not limited to those made of foamed polystyrene. The petition for this ban was based in large part to the lack of recycling options for the material.

Brookline, MA is located immediately west of Boston and has a population of approximately 60,000 residents.

Learn more about single-use plastic pollution on our website.

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