Plastic Bag, Styrofoam Container Ban Postponed To July

Maine Public | By Fred Bever

Published December 22, 2020 at 5:22 PM EST

A coffee cup made from polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styrofoam, lies on the side of a road, Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in Augusta, Maine.

Maine environmental regulators are postponing the start date for bans on single-use plastic carry-out bags and on polystyrene containers.

The Department of Environmental Protection says the COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for groceries by curbside pickup and for takeout food. That’s in turn increased demand for paper bags, multi-use plastic bags, and nonpolystyrene food packaging, which are alternatives for the containers scheduled to be banned.

The department announced on Tuesday, that bans slated to go into effect Jan. 15 will be postponed until July 1.

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Fred Bever

A Columbia University graduate, Fred began his journalism career as a print reporter in Vermont, then came to Maine Public in 2001 as its political reporter, as well as serving as a host for a variety of Maine Public Radio and Maine Public Television programs. Fred later went on to become news director for New England Public Radio in Western Massachusetts and worked as a freelancer for National Public Radio and a number of regional public radio stations, including WBUR in Boston and NHPR in New Hampshire.

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