Plastic Bag Ban Set to Take Effect in Delaware

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Effective July 1, 2022, Delaware retailers will be prohibited from providing plastic carryout bags made from film to its customers. Instead, customers will be provided reusable bags at checkouts.

The law, initially passed in 2019, had banned plastic carryout bags, aimed at reducing beach and roadside litter, increasing recycling efforts, and reducing the impact of plastic bags at regional recycling facilities. The law was later updated and passed by the Delaware General Assembly in July 2021, expanding the scope of bags banned and the stores affected by the ban.

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All retail stores in the state will be affected by the change. However, restaurants have been exempted from the ban.

DNREC urged customers to bring their own bag into stores. The individual stores could decide on what types of bags are to be offered to customers. They may offer reusable bags, or paper bags. However, plastic film bags of all thicknesses will be prohibited. The law also allows retail stores to charge a fee for the bags they provide.

As per rough estimates, each Delawarean uses around 434 plastic bags every year. Almost 2,400 tons of plastic bags end up in landfills. The law aims to directly help the environment of Delaware and its wildlife.