Connecticut Legislature considers plastic bag legislation

BRIDGEPORT (Scrap Monster): The US State of Connecticut has revived its efforts to limit the usage of plastic bags. The bill to this effect is presently awaiting action in the House. The bill proposed by Ted Kennedy, Jr. states that larger grocery stores should ensure that 50% of their carryout bags are recyclable by 2018. The stores are required to use 100% recyclable bags by 2020.

The bill is aimed at encouraging consumers to pack their goods in reusable carry-out bags made from 100% recyclable materials. It proposes to phase out single-use plastic and paper bags at state’s supermarkets and grocery stores.

The Connecticut’s Environment Committee had proposed a bill last year that would have phased out single-use carry-out bags at certain retail stores by 2019. According to the bill, stores were allowed to give customers single-use carryout bags until September 2017, by charging at least 10 cents per bag. During the next two years, stores will be allowed to sell only compostable, recycled paper, or 100% recyclable bags at a charge of at least 10 cents per bag. Starting October 2019, stores are allowed to provide only reusable bags either free or at a set price. Although the bill got approvals of the Environmental, Judicial and Planning and Development committees, it failed to make it to the floor of Senate.

Meantime, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has extended its support to the plastic ban legislation, saying that it would conduct coordinated efforts in tie up with the industry to increase the number of plastic bag collection points.

As per estimates, the state of Connecticut consumes about 950 million plastic bags every year. Only a small portion of these plastic shopping bags are recycled. Many of those bags end up littering streets and polluting environment.