Efforts to ban single-use plastic bags in Bozeman and Missoula have fallen short, as the proposed ballot initiatives did not gather enough signatures to move forward.
Montana Plastic Free, the group behind the proposals, argues that plastic is damaging both the environment and human health. According to their website, banning single-use plastic bags could prevent nearly 300 plastic bags per person each year from being used. They also note that plastic bag bans have reduced plastic litter by at least one-third in areas where they’ve been enacted.
Similar bans have been introduced across the country for these reasons. In Montana, if the ban had passed, the first offense would have resulted in a $1,000 fine, with a $2,000 fine for each subsequent offense.
However, not everyone supports these bans. The American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance, represented by Director Erin Hass, called the failure of the initiative a win for working families in Montana. Hass argued that the proposals were too broad and would have banned not just single-use grocery bags, but also reusable shopping bags, trash bags, sleeping bags, and more. She emphasized the importance of Montana’s statewide uniformity law, which aims to prevent confusion by ensuring clear and consistent rules for local governments and businesses.