LD 1166

This bill proposed repealing the law requiring retailers to use paper bags unless plastic bags are requested by the customer. The original law was designed to give a preference to paper bags over plastic bags because paper is derived from a renewable natural resource and results in less of a solid waste disposal problem. The bill was amended to allow retailers to freely use plastic bags provided that they had a collection receptacle available for the recycling of the bags. This bill was one of several attempts in the 115th Maine Legislature to repeal and undermine Maine’s tough solid waste laws enacted only a few years earlier. The bill was enacted into law.