MAINE PUBLIC • December 23, 2020
Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection says it won’t enforce a statewide ban on single-use, plastic carry-out bags and polystyrene foam takeout containers until July of next year — and that’s drawing some fire from environmentalists. “If particular stores really were having supply-chain issues and they provided documentation to DEP, that’s perfectly reasonable for DEP not to enforce the ban,” says Sarah Nichols, who directs sustainability programs for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “But just to provide a blanket waiver for everybody until July 1 doesn’t really make any sense.”