Maine House votes to ban single-use plastic bags

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - The Maine House has given initial approval to a bill to ban single-use plastic bags.

The House voted 91-52 Thursday to ban single-use plastic bags statewide. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Rep. Holly Stover, of Boothbay, said the bill is needed to protect wildlife on land and in the ocean.

Democratic Rep. Nicole Grohoski, of Ellsworth, said the business community supports the proposal because a statewide law is better than a patchwork of local laws. Several dozen Maine municipalities already have instituted local bans on single-use plastic bags.

Earlier this month, Maine became the first state to ban single-use food and drink containers made from polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styrofoam.