A Maryland city is moving forward with a proactive plan to limit plastic pollution and encourage residents to be more sustainable, The MoCo Show reports.
Officials in Rockville, Maryland, voted to approve Montgomery County’s “bring your own bag” law effective January 1, 2026.
“The mayor and City Council voted on November 10 to implement Montgomery County’s Bring Your Own Bag Law in the City of Rockville beginning Thursday, January 1. Many Rockville businesses will be prohibited from using plastic carryout bags starting in January,” the city said in a press release announcing the law.
However, items such as prescription drugs, dry cleaning and perishable items will be exempt, according to the MoCo Show.
Stores will now charge customers 10 cents for paper bags to encourage the use of reusable bags. Each store will receive half of the proceeds from each paper bag sold, and the other half will be used to fund water quality projects.
Clients using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Electronic Benefit Transfer and other state-approved food assistance benefits will not pay the paper bag fee. Restaurants also won’t have to charge customers 10 cents for bags for leftovers or takeout orders.
Single-use plastics are often considered an inconvenience to many customers. With grocery bills already mounting, simply forgetting to use a reusable bag or needing to purchase a replacement can lead to increased costs.
However, Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton and the City Council gave the green light to the legislation with an eye on improving the environment. “The goals of the law are to reduce waste, protect waterways and encourage the use of reusable bags,” the city added, according to MoCo Show.
Single-use plastic bags are not biodegradable, meaning they can take hundreds of years to break down, while they produce tiny microplastics that can leach into soil and local waterways. These tiny plastic particles can be accidentally ingested by wild animals and eventually enter the food chain, ultimately affecting humans and causing serious health problems.
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