LOWELL -- Paper or reusable? That's the question you'll be asked in Lowell supermarkets later this week when the plastic bag ban goes into effect. On Jan. 1, the Mill City will join a rising number of Massachusetts communities banning single-use plastic bags, including Boston most notably in mid-December. Westford's ban also goes into effect on Jan. 1. The Lowell City Council voted in May to approve the ordinance. The city ban is limited to retail establishments 3,000 square feet or larger. The Market Basket at the corner of Fletcher and Broadway streets now has signs in the checkout line...
