The Montgomery County Council has passed the Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) Bill that bans most single-use plastic bags within the county.
Bill 24-24 bans plastic bags, modifies existing paper bag regulations, and raises the fee from five to ten cents, with some exceptions. Council President Kate Stewart introduced the legislation, and Councilmembers Laurie-Anne Sayles, Evan Glass, Natali Fani-González, Sidney Katz, and Will Jawando were cosponsors.
According to WTOP, plastic bags would be permitted during the sale of prescription drugs, dry cleaning, and perishable items like meat. Households utilizing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) benefits are also exempt.
Municipalities without a ban will also enforce a ten-cent fee for plastic carryout bags.
To help with the transition, the county’s Department of Environmental Protection will distribute free reusable bags at community events.
“Today we’re making strides to advance our public health and environmental goals, building a cleaner future for Montgomery County,” Council President Stewart said in a press release issued Tuesday. “The revenue generated from the BYOB Bill will fund vital water quality protection projects in our community. Working with environmentalists, retailers and local chambers of commerce, this bill streamlines processes for businesses and aligns with best practices already adopted by nine other neighboring areas around Maryland to reduce plastic pollution.”
After County Executive Marc Elrich’s signature, the law will go into effect on January 1, 2026, following single-use plastic bag bans in Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore counties.
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