Connecticut lawmakers are in talks to reintroduce legislation that would either ban the use of disposable plastic bags at grocery stores and similar retailers or impose new restrictions on them.
“They’re such a waste,” said State Rep. Jack Hennessy, of Bridgeport, who has supported the legislation in the past.
Approximately 400 grocery stores in Connecticut would likely be affected under any proposal.
“Now is not the time,” said Stan Sorkin, president of the Connecticut Grocery Association. “Especially in today's economic environment, we hear about a lot of the middle class to lower-income families who are still suffering in terms of no salaries and no growth in disposable income and that's a cost.”
Hennessy, who’s been involved in environmental matters throughout his years in the General Assembly, said Connecticut has the opportunity to get rid of something that becomes an eyesore in the state’s urban areas.
"They become an unsightly nuisance on the side of the roads, requiring state and municipal employees to use state taxpayer dollars to clean up these bags that are not biodegradable,” Hennessy said.
Westport has had regulations in place since 2008 that ban most plastic bags in grocery stores and similar retailers, including pharmacies.
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Last year, California became the first state in the country to place restrictions on plastic bags and required retailers to charge 10 cents per bag at grocery stores and pharmacies. Grocery stores pocket the money and were provided more than $2 million in state assistance to help with the transition.
Shoppers who received assistance paying for groceries do not have to pay the fees.
Kathy Droney, of West Hartford, said she’s been using reusable bags for years and called the bags “so annoying.”
"Getting to use reusable bags is so easy and why build up all this plastic?” she said.
Sarah Howland, who had several plastic bags in her grocery cart said, “I normally use reusable ones but a law would definitely force me to use my other ones.”
Sorkin said he wants the conversation to be a reasonable one and for lawmakers to avoid jumping to conclusions, and said grocery stores have always been open to adjustments.
“We’ve been ahead of the game with environmental issues in the past,” Sorkin said. “We were at the forefront of recycling cardboard.”
