The New Britain City Council has voted to approve a new ordinance banning plastic single use retail carry-out bags and requiring charges for paper carry out bags.
The bags, “have no life other than that one time use,” said Ald. Carlo Carlozzi, Jr, (D-5), the Council Majority Leader, “and they end up in the city streets.”
“They end up in parks,” said Carlozzi. “They end up in our ponds, our lakes. They end up in our lawns. They end up everywhere. And their lifespan is forever. They fill up our landfills.”
The ordinance was approved by a unanimous vote, with support from Council members from both parties. If approved by Republican Mayor Erin Stewart, it would take effect in six months.
The ordinance (local law) that will ban stores, restaurants and other retailers from providing plastic carry out bags and require that they charge for paper bags.
Paper bags will still be permitted, but only under certain conditions, such as being made of recycled paper and be recyclable, themselves. They will also have to have the words, “Reusable” and “Recyclable” printed on them.
Retail establishments will also be required to charge for the paper bags used to carry goods at retail. The ordinance would require retailers to charge ten cents per paper bag.
The ordinance is designed in a way as to encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags and containers into retail establishments to use for carrying their purchases.
If retail establishments violate the ordinance, they will be subject to a warning for a first offense, a $99 fine for a second offense and a $250 fine for any further violations.
The proposal was introduced by Carlozzi, Ald. Aram Ayalon (D-3), Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL), the Council’s President and Ald. Richard Reyes (D-AL).
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