Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S554 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 771 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 554
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Cynthia Stone Creem
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to reduce plastic packaging waste.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Cynthia Stone CreemNorfolk and Middlesex 1 of 2
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 771 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 554
18	18	By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 554) of Cynthia Stone Creem for
19	19	legislation to establish the Sustainable Food Service Ware Act. Environment and Natural
20	20	Resources.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 450 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act to reduce plastic packaging waste.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 21O the
32	32	2following chapter:-
33	33	3 CHAPTER 21P
34	34	4 MASSACHUSETTS PLASTICS REDUCTION ACT
35	35	5 Section 1. As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings
36	36	6unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
37	37	7 “Customer”, a person who purchases or otherwise receives goods, services or materials
38	38	8from a business, organization, corporation or other entity. 2 of 2
39	39	9 “Department”, the department of environmental protection.
40	40	10 “Disposable”, designed to be discarded after a single or limited number of uses and not
41	41	11designed or manufactured for long-term multiple reuse.
42	42	12 “Food service ware”, disposable products used for serving or transporting foods or
43	43	13beverages for human consumption, including, but not limited to, plates, bowls, trays, cups,
44	44	14cartons, hinged or lidded containers, straws, stirrers, cup spill plugs, cup sleeves, condiments
45	45	15containers, utensils, cocktail sticks or picks, toothpicks, film wrap and napkins; provided,
46	46	16however, that “food service ware” shall not include detachable lids for beverage cups or food
47	47	17containers, coolers or ice chests.
48	48	18 Section 2. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a retailer or charging entity shall not
49	49	19provide a customer with disposable food service ware unless requested by the customer.
50	50	20 (b) A retailer or charging entity may make disposable food service ware available to a
51	51	21customer for self-service to allow for non-bundled, single-use food service ware to be obtained.
52	52	22 Section 3. The department shall promulgate regulations to implement and enforce this
53	53	23chapter.
54	54	24 SECTION 2. Section 3 of chapter 21P of the General Laws, as appearing in section 1, is
55	55	25hereby amended by inserting the following subsection:-
56	56	26 (c) No food service ware provided consistent with this section shall be made from black
57	57	27plastic; provided, however, that the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to prepared food
58	58	28packaged outside of the commonwealth.
59	59	29 SECTION 3. Section 2 shall take effect on January 1, 2027.