Community Corner

Are Local Bans on Plastic Bags, Styrofoam and Water Bottles Too Much?

What do you think about these environmentally friendly, sometimes controversial town laws?

By Liz Taurasi

Shopping in Brookline anytime soon? Well starting this month the use of plastic bags at the point of sale is banned within the community. A ban on styrofoam food and drink containers also begins this month.

Town Meeting approved the measure to prohibit supermarkets from using plastic bags at checkouts in November 2012 by a vote of 142 to 53. That same night they approved the ban on styrofoam containers.

Brookline isn’t alone in residents supporting measures to protect the environment.

Find out what's happening in Holliston-Hopkintonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In April 2012, Concord became one of the first communities in the country to ban the sale of single-serving plastic water bottles, after years of debate. And it’s not over yet -

The landmark bottled water-banning bylaw is set to go before voters for a fifth time in four years this month, when a special Town Meeting will take up a citizens petition to repeal the bylaw.

Find out what's happening in Holliston-Hopkintonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

So what do you think of these local bans? Are you in favor or against these measures? Let us know in the comments section below.


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