For years, plastic checkout bags have been quietly piling up on our beaches, in storm drains, and along our coastlines. What started as small, local campaigns led by community members and volunteers has grown into a movement across the Commonwealth, one that the Surfrider Foundation Massachusetts chapter has been proud to help lead.
Over 160 Massachusetts cities and towns had adopted local policies to reduce or ban single-use plastic bags. These local actions have been crucial in shifting consumer habits and developing a culture focused on reuse.
The Surfrider Foundation Massachusetts’ chapter has been deeply involved in dozens of municipal campaigns — providing research, public education, letters of support, volunteer coordination, public testimony, and policy drafting to ensure strong, enforceable local laws. The chapter has contributed to over 20 campaign victories across the Commonwealth, from island towns to suburban communities.
Recent victories that chapter volunteers contributed to include Fairhaven, Lynn, Haverhill, Newton, and many more. Each win helps build momentum and strengthens the policy models available to other towns.
Local bans have created a powerful wave of progress, but Massachusetts still has a patchwork of different rules. In 2024, the State Senate passed legislation to establish a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, reflecting what local communities have already shown: this policy works. Surfrider MA continues to advocate for statewide adoption so that every resident and retailer follows one clear, ocean-protective standard.
How You Can Help
- Support statewide action by contacting your legislators
- Join the Surfrider MA volunteer team to help new towns adopt bag bans
- Spread the word and keep reducing single-use plastics in your own routine
Local victories prove that community action truly adds up. Thanks to persistent grassroots organizing, Massachusetts is closer than ever to turning the tide on plastic pollution.
