Massachusetts lawmakers had an opportunity to address the plastic pollution crisis in our state. Unfortunately, lawmakers have chosen to let strong measures to protect our environment and public health fall by the wayside, as highlighted in the August 2 editorial, “Who’s Best at 3 a.m.? Not the Massachusetts Legislature.”
In June, the Senate made progress by voting 38-2 for a plastic reduction bill. The bill, which would have banned plastic bags and reduced other single-use plastic products nationwide, would have been an important step in protecting our oceans, our climate and our communities from plastic pollution. But at midnight on July 31, Plastic Free July ended, as did the House session a few hours later, and state lawmakers took no action.
Massachusetts lags far behind other states in passing laws to reduce single-use plastics. According to a 2023 statewide Oceana poll, 89 percent of Massachusetts voters surveyed support local and state action to reduce single-use plastics. Our lawmakers must help Massachusetts rid itself of unnecessary single-use plastics, including foam food containers and plastic bags, in the next legislative session.
Nancy Downes
Millis
The author is Field Campaigns Manager at Oceana.
