Vermont Becomes Latest U.S. State to Ban Single-use Plastics

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Vermont has joined the list of U.S. states to impose ban on use of single-use plastics. The plastic bag ban bill was signed by Gov. Phil Scott without comment Monday. Earlier, the governor had expressed concerns on the 10-cents fee for paper bags to be collected by retailers and restaurants. The bill is considered as the strongest of its kind in the entire U.S. The law is scheduled to take effect in July next year.

According to the law, retailers and restaurants are prohibited from providing customers with single-use carryout bags. Instead, retailers are allowed to offer paper bags at a cost of 10-cents per bag. The money thus collected could be retained by the retailer. Small paper bags are exempted from the 10-cent charge.

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The law also bans food service containers made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and single-use plastic stirrers. Also, restaurants could not offer plastic straws unless requested by the customer. However, people who require straws for medical conditions are allowed to use the same. The ban is applicable to bags at point-of-sale and is not applicable to household trash bags and bags used in groceries to contain loose produce.

The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) praised the law, stating that it would be the greatest single law in the entire country to effectively address the problem of single-use plastic pollution.