Plastics Reduction – Green Needham

Our Goal

The Plastics Reduction Team is working to reduce single-use plastic consumption and waste in Needham.

Why is reducing single use plastic so important?

Single-Use Plastic Waste

Plastic is toxic: Plastics are made from toxic, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and fossil fuels. Most are made from a by-product of gas, called ethane, which is produced during the hydrofracking process.
Plastic pollutes: Hydrofracking causes air and water pollution. When plastic breaks down it creates microplastics, which contaminate soil, water and air.
Plastic negatively affects climate change: If plastic were a country, it would be the world’s fifth largest greenhouse gas emitter.
Plastic has harmful effects on health: Micro and nano-plastics have been found in the human brain, blood, lungs, heart and gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to respiratory issues, gastrointestinal issues, reproductive issues, and increased cancer risk.
Plastic is largely not recyclable: Because of the different chemicals used to make plastics, only 5-6% of plastics are recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, incinerators or in the environment.

Current Initiatives

Submitted a Citizen’s Petition for inclusion on the May 2024 Town Meeting Warrant to ban specific single-use plastic items. The proposed ban will be implemented in two phases.
- Effective Jan. 1, 2025: Polystyrene/styrofoam packaging, and single-use plastic straws, stirrers, and splash guards.
- Effective Jan. 1, 2026: plastic water bottles with a volume of one liter or less.
Partnering with the Needham Environmental Action Club to launch a voluntary “Skip the Stuff” campaign with Needham restaurants.

Expanded Ban on Single-use Plastics
Submitted a Citizen's Petition for inclusion on the May 2024 Town Meeting Warrant to ban specific single-use plastic items.
Plastic Bag Ban ByLaw in Needham
With overwhelming support at Town Meeting on May 3, 2023, Needham passed the Plastic Bag Ban Citizens' Petition Article, and joined the over 150 towns and cities in Massachusetts that have passed similar plastic bag bans. The ban will go into effect January 1, 2024, for large stores, and July 1, 2024 for smaller stores.
The Problem with Plastic Bags
Single-use plastic shopping bags are everywhere, with an estimated one to five trillion consumed around the world every year. They harm wildlife, pollutes our land and waterways, and cause problems at recycling facilities.
Education/Outreach
We are working on an educational outreach campaign to encourage Needham store patrons to shop with their reusable bags. From elementary schools to local community groups, we are educating people about the benefits of choosing reusable bags over plastic or paper.

Our History

Read about what we’ve accomplished so far.

Prepare the town for the upcoming plastic bag ban by encouraging Needham shoppers to bring reusable bags to the store.

If you are interested in learning how you can help, please consider joining our team! Fill out the below form and someone on our Team will contact you.

Resources

Documents

Links on the Web

	Beyond Plastics Their mission is to end plastic pollution everywhere
	Beyond Plastics Beyond Plastics - Plastic Free/Zero Waste Holiday Gift Guide
	H.4234 - An Act reducing plastic bag pollution The proposed statewide plastic bag ban.
	Mass Green - Plastic Bag Ban resources for Massachusetts communities Provides extensive information on plastic bags and bans, including by-laws and ordinances passed in other Massachusetts towns and cities.
	Narragansett Students Win Prize in C-SPAN Documentary Competition "A Plastic Bay" documentary created by RI students Wins Prize in C-SPAN Documentary Competition
	The Problem with Plastic Bags PSA from Green Needham's Plastic Waste Reduction Team
	Trailer for the documentary film "Bag It"