Wareham passes bylaw banning single‑use plastic shopping bags

Voters approved a citizens' petition to add a bylaw banning single‑use plastic shopping bags to Wareham’s bylaws (Article 13A) after a petitioner and multiple residents urged action to reduce litter and marine microplastics.

Petitioner Joanne Finn introduced the measure and pointed to regional precedent: "As of May 2025, 163 Massachusetts cities and towns have banned single‑use plastic shopping bags," she said, noting those bans cover a majority of the Commonwealth’s population. Finn told voters that reducing single‑use bags would cut litter on streets and shorelines and is intended to shift behavior by making reusable bags the norm.

Several residents, volunteers and a youth ocean‑ambassador spoke in support. Abigail Outwood, a local youth ambassador, told the meeting that plastic bags fragment into microplastics that accumulate in coastal habitats and can affect shellfish beds and food chains. Recycling committee volunteers showed examples of local bag collections and urged voters to adopt the bylaw. A few residents raised practical concerns about alternatives, paper bags and enforcement; petitioners and supporters said retail practice elsewhere shows the change is manageable and that education and voluntary compliance have worked in neighboring towns.

Select Board and Finance Committee recommended favorable action and the motion passed by majority voice vote.

Next steps: Town officials or the Select Board will incorporate the new bylaw language into the town’s code and advise retailers about compliance and public education. The meeting transcript recorded support and some process questions about local enforcement; no enforcement mechanism was detailed in the hearing.