Haverhill plastic bag ban starts this week, confusion with Market Basket cleared up

HAVERHILL, Mass. — The city ordinance banning single use plastic bags goes into effect on Thursday for stores larger than 8,000 square feet.

Mayor Jim Fiorentini said he cleared up confusion with Market Basket on Monday and the supermarket chain will offer paper bags to customers free of charge. Market Basket will also give customers the option of purchasing reusable plastic bags for ten-cents each.

The ordinance requires bags provide to customers by stores be either recyclable or reusable.

The city said the purpose of the ban isn’t to get shoppers to switch to paper bags, but to get them to start using reusable bags.

The ban will go into effect on May 7 for stores between 3,000 and 8,000 square feet.

Bazaars or festivals operated by non-profit or religious institutions, outdoor farmer’s markets or any retail establishment under 3,000 square feet are not impacted by the bag ban.

The ban doesn’t apply to laundry or dry-cleaner bags, newspaper bags or bags used to contain or wrap frozen foods, meat or fish, whether prepackaged or not, to prevent or contain moisture.

Cox Media Group