Department of Environmental Management seeks public’s opinion ahead of statewide plastic bag ban

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Starting Jan. 1, 2024, the Plastic Waste Reduction Act will be put into effect, banning all retailers in Rhode Island from using single-use plastic bags.

Now, the Department of Environmental Management wants to hear from the public.

Spokesperson Mike Healey said they’re working on drafting regulations to the law and would like to hear from residents as they work to decrease microplastic pollution in the Ocean State.

“Part of the regulations are to make it easier for businesses to comply because we don’t want to be penalizing businesses, we want to get businesses on board, you know buy into the fact that look, all of your competitors are going to have to do this to, so this is the cost of doing business across the board,” Healey explained.

“Nobody is going to have an advantage of anybody else, everybody has got to do this,” Healey continued.

Healey said 18 out of 39 Rhode Island communities have already passed similar plastic bag bans, including: Barrington, Newport, Middletown, New Shoreham, Jamestown, Portsmouth, Warren, Bristol, South Kingstown, North Kingstown, Providence, East Providence, Westerly, East Greenwich, Central Falls, Cranston, Little Compton, and Narragansett.

A hearing will be held for public comment at the department’s office at 235 Promenade St. in Providence, on Sept. 26 at 3 p.m., in room 300.