Maine Delays Plastic Bag Ban for Months due to Pandemic

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine is delaying by several months a statewide ban on single-use plastic carry-out bags that was scheduled to take effect in January.

The ban was slated to take effect on Jan. 15.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection says it’s delaying enforcement of the laws that ban the bags until July 1, 2021.

The department says in a statement that it’s taking the delayed approach “in response to several practical and logistical effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”