City of Philadelphia

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Plastic bag ban

Reducing single-use plastic waste and improving the environmental quality and cleanliness of our city.

About

Philadelphia’s plastic bag ban prohibits retail establishments from providing single-use plastic bags and paper bags that do not meet certain requirements.

Philadelphians use about a billion plastic bags each year. Unless properly disposed of, many of these bags become litter in our streets, waterways, and commercial corridors. The plastic bag ban will help reduce single-use plastic waste and improve the environmental quality and cleanliness of our city.

While legislation banning plastic bags passed in December 2019, the City delayed implementation of the ban due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the business community—particularly small businesses. See the timeline below for details.

You can learn more about the plastic bag ban by reading our frequently asked questions. You can also download flyers and signage to print and post.