Concord, Mass. Becomes the First US City to Ban Sale of Single Drink Plastic Water Bottles
Controversial New Law Banning Single Drink Water Bottles Goes Into Effect
Concord, Massachusetts on Jan. 1, 2012 made history by becoming the first town in the nation where the sale of plastic water bottles is prohibited.
A new year brings a controversial new law into effect in Concord: no one can sell single-serving plastic water bottles.
The ban comes after an April town meeting vote that makes Concord the first in the nation to ban the sale of plastic water bottles.
Supporters say it will force people to use tap water and reduce the number of plastic bottles in landfills.
Some businesses, those selling bottled water, have been against it from the beginning. They’ve been busy trying to clear their shelves of the bottles.
The penalty for violating the ban is $50.
It will be interesting to see if other cities follow Concord’s example. The case is, of course, one of those complicated gray areas where civil liberties, free enterprise, and environmentalism collide.
