On Earth Day, a push to ban plastic bags, microbeads

April 23, 2015

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Sen. Ted Kennedy Jr. (Christine Stuart photo)

HARTFORD, Conn. – On Earth Day, Republicans and Democrats held a Capitol press conference to proclaim their support for legislation that would phase out the use of plastic bags and the use of plastic microbeads in cosmetic products.

The plastic bag bill, which was raised in 2009, 2011, and again this year, would impose a 10-cent fee on customers for each plastic bag they are given at a store. Under this year’s bill, plastic bags would be phased out completely and by October 2019 and stores would only be able to sell reusable bags. The bill has made it through two committees and both Republicans and Democrats expressed optimism about its chances this year.

Sen. Ted Kennedy Jr., co-chairman of the Environment Committee, said he’s hopeful they can craft a proposal that everyone can agree upon. He said they are talking with retailers who oppose the legislation to see if they can’t reach consensus.

See the complete story at CT News Junkie.

Comments

2 responses to “On Earth Day, a push to ban plastic bags, microbeads”

EveT

April 23, 2015

Plastic microbeads are such a terrible idea, it’s too bad they were ever allowed in the first place. Consumers have gotten so accustomed to plastic bags, it will be really hard to phase them out, but worth trying.
The bigger problem for the planet is that almost anything you can buy comes wrapped in plastic.

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Paul Lanning

April 23, 2015

The proposed ban on plastic bags is a political red herring. Elected officials will prance around congratulating themselves on this great bi-partisan saving of the environment, meanwhile coal-burning facilities across the U.S. continue to damage the ozone layer–and nothing is done.

“…stores would only be able to sell reusable bags.”…
What does that mean?

I dispose of kitchen garbage in the plastic bags from Shoprite/Fairway/IGA. Alternatives: paper bags which soak through, or dump the loose garbage into the big can outside where it can fester and stink, or create & maintain a compost bin (yeah we’ve all got plenty of time and space for that).

The lawmakers threatening to inflict this on us have Garbage Grinders in their kitchen sink drains. Most people don’t.

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