AUGUSTA, Maine — A statewide ban on single-use plastic shopping bags negotiated by environmentalists and grocers cleared the Maine House of Representatives on Thursday in an initial step toward likely passage in the Democratic-led Legislature.

The amended bill from Rep. Holly Stover, D-Boothbay, passed 91-52 in a party-line vote on Thursday, with all Republicans present voting against it. The bill faces further action in both chambers and is expected to pass with support from the administration of Gov. Janet Mills.

It would make Maine the fourth state to ban plastic shopping bags effective in 2020 after California, New York and Hawaii and would override local ordinances in more than 20 Maine cities and towns that either ban plastic bags or charge a fee to people who take bags.

That patchwork of local laws and the Democratic legislative majorities created the environment for the compromise bill, which was negotiated by the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the Retail Association of Maine and the Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association.

In floor speeches, Democrats touted the municipal actions and said a statewide ban would send an important message to future generations. In a floor speech, Stover referred to reports saying that 60 percent to 80 percent of ocean pollution can be traced to discarded plastic.

“We have a climate change crisis on our hands and Maine needs to be a leader,” Stover said.

Republicans objected to the bill, saying it could harm Maine businesses and stating opposition to sweeping mandates and a concern that the proposal would be more symbolic than impactful.

“Plastic doesn’t get to the side of the road on its own,” said Rep. Dennis Keschl, R-Belgrade. “How is this bill going to address how it gets there?”

The bill would prohibit single-use plastic bags by April 2020. After that, retailers would have to charge at least 5 cents for recycled paper bags or reusable plastic bags, though small stores and restaurants will be exempted. Earlier this month, Mills signed a bill to make Maine the first state to ban single-use foam food and beverage containers.

For a roundup of Maine political news, click here to receive Daily Brief, Maine’s only newsletter on state politics via email on weekday mornings. </s> Prince Edward Island has become the first province to introduce a ban on single-use plastic bags.

The Plastic Bag Reduction Act officially came into effect on Canada Day and prohibits businesses from providing single-use plastic bags at checkout. They are instead to offer paper bags or higher quality reusable bags.

The province says these other bags are more durable and result in less waste.

There are exceptions to the regulation, however. Businesses will be allowed to provide plastic bags for a variety of products, including bulk produce, live fish, prescription drugs and dry cleaning, among others.

Businesses in P.E.I. will also be allowed to use up the stock of plastic bags they already have.

According to the Retail Council in Canada, 48 communities across Canada either have a plastic bag ban or have committed to introducing one in the near future, but P.E.I. has the only province-wide ban.

Jordan Keenanof the Plastics Oceans Foundation Canada told CTV News Channel a lot of these bans are proving to be difficult to enforce.

“I live in Montreal (and) we’ve had a plastic bag ban here for a while, yet you can still get plastic bags, pretty much everywhere,” he said.

Victoria, B.C. introduced a single-use plastic bag ban a year ago and on Monday increased the prices of grocery bags to 25 cents for a paper bag and $2 for a reusable bag. The city said the increase is meant to reduce the demand for the recyclable bags while helping businesses recoup some of the costs of transitioning to this policy.

Last month, the Trudeau government announced its intention to ban single-use plastics across the country by 2021, including plastic bags, water bottles and straws. </s> July 1 (UPI) -- New Zealand on Monday became the latest nation to ban outright the distribution of plastic bags at retailers, like grocery stores.

The ban, announced nearly a year ago, took effect Monday.

Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said the ban will reduce plastic into oceans, rivers, storm water systems and landfills, and will better protect marine wildlife.

"New Zealanders are proud of our country's clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it," Sage said. "Ending the use of single-use plastic shopping bags helps do that."

The environmental ministry says the ban affects bags made of any type of plastic under 70 microns in thickness, either new or unused and with handles. The banned bags cannot be given away or sold to customers.

Pet waste bags, bin liners and bags without handles used for perishable items are exempted from the ban.

Some, however, question how much difference the new law will make.

"These bags will go to the ocean," store owner Harjit Singh said of the exempted bags for pre-packaged items. "If they wanted to stop plastic it should be all the packaging."

Several municipalities worldwide have implemented or will implement similar bans -- including New York City, which will ban plastic bags next spring. </s> The Assembly also decided that retailers will not have to charge fees, which can go up to 50 cents per transaction, for bags made of cloth or woven canvas plastic or other machine-washable materials, called "alternative bags." The fees will only apply to paper bags for now, though that could someday be extended to biodegradable plastic bags, Constant said. </s> SANTIAGO: Chile made history on Friday when it became the first country in Latin America to ban the commercial use of plastic bags.

"I want to share with you the joy that as of today we´re enacting the law," said President Sebastian Pinera at a public ceremony in the centre of Santiago, after which he handed out cloth bags to passers-by.

Large businesses have six months to phase out the use of plastic bags, while smaller ones will be given two years to adapt to the new rules.

It means that any form of plastic bag other than those constituting primary packaging "necessary for hygiene or to prevent food wastage" are prohibited, the government gazette Diario Oficial said on Friday.

Those flouting the ban will be subject to a $370 fine, in a country where the minimum wage is just $800.

In the meantime, companies will be limited to handing out a maximum of two plastic bags per transaction. </s> New Zealand officially banned single-use plastic shopping bags Monday, introducing hefty fines for businesses that continue to provide them. Plastic pollution has become a growing global concern, with a million birds and more than 100,000 marine mammals injured or killed every year by becoming entangled in packaging or ingesting it through the food chain. Companies that break New Zealand's ban will face heavy penalties, including fines of up to NZ$100,000 ($67,000).

"New Zealanders are proud of our country's clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it," Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said. "Ending the use of single-use plastic shopping bags helps to do that." Under the new rules, thin plastic single-use shopping bags can no longer be supplied - but the law allows reusable carriers to continue being provided. The legislation, which was announced in August last year and came into force on Monday, will have little practical effect, as New Zealand's major supermarkets have already voluntarily banned the bags. However, Sage said it was putting the issue of recycling on the agenda. "(The ban) doesn't go far enough, but what is really great is it's started the conversation," she told Radio New Zealand. "People are now talking about single-use plastics and how we can phase them out."

More than 80 countries have already introduced similar bans, according to the U.N. Environment Program. Earlier this year, Turkey took a big step to stop plastic waste and began selling plastic bags for a fee. Within the first three months of the regulation, Turkey managed to decrease 80 percent of the plastic bag use. An estimated 5 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year and they mainly contribute to maritime pollution as some 8 million tons of plastic, including bags are dumped into the ocean every year, killing marine life and entering the human food chain, according to a United Nations report on the issue. </s> Chile has become the first South American country to legally ban the widespread commercial use of plastic bags.

The new legislation, approved by Congress and enacted by President Sebastián Piñera, gives small shops two years to adapt to a total ban.

Larger business will have six months to stop using plastic bags.

In the meantime they will only be allowed to hand out two carrier bags per customer.

Businesses that break the rules will face a $370 (£280).
• The breath-taking alien world of plastic bags under the sea

Scientists say plastic pollution has a devastating impact on marine wildlife and affects the health of humans.

Mr Piñera said the new rules were a great step for a cleaner Chile.

"We want to go from a throwaway culture, where everything is used and chucked away, to the healthy culture of recycling," he said.

"There are 7.6 billion inhabitants in the world. We can't continue polluting as if each one of us owned the Earth."

He handed out reusable cloth bags at a ceremony marking the ban on Friday.

The legislation was proposed by his predecessor, Michelle Bachelet, who banned the use of plastic bags in Chile's Patagonia region.

Several other countries have also been taking steps to combat plastic pollution.

In January, Panama approved legislation curbing the commercial use of plastic bags.

Businesses there were given up to 24 months to phase out the use of plastic carrier bags.

In Britain, a 5p compulsory charge per bag was introduced in 2015. </s> New Zealand is joining a growing number of countries banning single-use plastic shopping bags.

"The ban should ensure less plastic ends up in rivers, streams, stormwater systems and the ocean so seabirds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals are less vulnerable to being harmed by it," Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said in a statement on Sunday.

The new regulations that come into force on Monday apply to any type of plastic less than 70 microns in thickness, that's new or un-used, has carry handles and is provided for carrying sold goods.

It also includes bags that are made from bio-based materials like starch, and made of plastics that are degradable, biodegradable or oxo-degradable.

Mainstream supermarkets have already switched from single-use plastic shopping bags since Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the legislation last August.

More than 100 jurisdictions, including Belgium, France, Italy, China have already implemented an outright ban on single-use plastic bags, while others have introduced a levy or charge. </s> Single-use plastic shopping bags are banned in New Zealand from today. File photo / Reuters

New Zealand officially banned single-use plastic shopping bags on Monday, introducing hefty fines for businesses that continue to provide them.

Plastic pollution has become a growing global concern, with a million birds and more than 100,000 marine mammals injured or killed every year by becoming entangled in packaging or ingesting it through the food chain.

Companies that break New Zealand’s ban will face heavy penalties, including fines of up to NZ$100,000 ($67,000).

“New Zealanders are proud of our country’s clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it,” Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said.

“Ending the use of single-use plastic shopping bags helps do that.”

Under the new rules, thin plastic single-use shopping bags can no longer be supplied — but the law allows reusable carriers to continue being provided.

The legislation — which was announced in August last year and came into force on Monday — will have little practical effect, as New Zealand’s major supermarkets have already voluntarily banned the bags.

However, Sage said it was putting the issue of recycling on the agenda.

“(The ban) doesn’t go far enough, but what is really great is it’s started the conversation,” she told Radio New Zealand.

“People are now talking about single-use plastics and how we can phase them out.”

More than 80 countries have already introduced similar bans, according to the UN Environment Programme.

Agence France-Presse
Anchorage, Alaska, passes a strict ban on plastic shopping bags, and imposes a fee on the use of store-issued paper bags. The law goes into effect on March 1, 2019.