Maine and Vermont this week adopted laws that place prohibitions on single-use plastic bags – a development that could bode well for promotional products distributors that sell in the New England states.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law that made the Pine Tree State the third state in the nation, behind California and New York, with an official statewide “ban” on single-use plastic bags. Hawaii’s counties have all restricted single-use plastic bags, creating a de facto statewide ban.

The Maine regulations go into effect on Earth Day 2020 (April 22). The legislation outlaws retail establishments from providing single-use plastic carry-out bags at the point of sale. Still, the law comes with caveats. For a minimum charge of 5 cents per bag, retailers and grocers can offer customers paper bags and reusable plastic bags –the latter defined as those that are at least 4 mils (.1 millimeters) thick and that can withstand 75 repeated uses. The Maine law exempts certain types of single-use plastic bags too, including bags for produce, prescription drugs, newspapers, laundry and live animals.

While some of the caveats drew criticism from green groups, including the Surfrider Foundation, other environmentalists and single-use plastic bag prohibition proponents, including Carissa Maurin, state director of Environment Maine, said the bill was an important step in the right direction:

Was honored to attend the bill signing for the ban on single-use plastic bags! Maine is now the 3rd state with a state-wide plastic bag ban law. Way to go Maine! #WildlifeOverWastehttps://t.co/29yUmbx6Ek

— Carissa Maurin (@CarissaMaurin) June 17, 2019

Shortly after Mills took action Monday, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott inked the Green Mountain State’s plastics prohibitions legislation into law. Its rules take effect in July 2020. Proponents characterized the law as the most comprehensive state-level restrictions on single-use plastic products of any state in the U.S. The law prohibits stores from providing customers with single-use plastic bags at checkout and plastic stirrers. Paper carryout bags are allowed, but for a fee of 10 cents. Additionally, Vermont’s law bars retailers from giving out coffee cups, takeout containers and other food containers made from expanded polystyrene foam – what’s often called “styrofoam.”

.@GovPhilScott just signed Vermont's plastic bag ban into law.
🛒No more single-use plastic bags at the cash register
💰Paper bags: 10¢
🥡No foam cups or takeout containers
☕️No plastic stir sticks
🥤Plastic straws upon request only
🗓️Takes effect July 2020#vtpoli #btv

— April McCullum (@april_mccullum) June 17, 2019

Legislators and proponents of single-use plastic bag restrictions hope the regulations will encourage consumers to change their behavior and switch to reusable bags for their shopping. That presents potential opportunity for promotional products distributors, who can encourage businesses, nonprofits and other organizations to tap into the momentum of the “green wave” by giving out or selling branded reusable bags like totes.

A growing number of municipalities, cities and states, as well as countries, are considering or actively trying to ban single-use plastic bags. The motivation is environmental. Ban proponents say the bags present a threat to wildlife and cause pollution.

More than 90 bills have been introduced in the U.S. this year regarding plastic bags, mostly to ban or place a fee on them, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The world produces more than 300 million tons of plastic each year, according to Statista, and scientists estimate that up to 91% of plastic is never recycled, polluting the environment and threatening wildlife.