Omar Khalid
Vermont has banned single-use plastic bags from landfill disposal. The Single-Use Products Law, which came into effect on July 1, 2020, prohibits stores and food service establishments from providing single-use plastic carryout bags, polystyrene food containers, plastic straws, and plastic stirrers. The law encourages customers to bring their own reusable bags and allows stores to provide single-use paper bags for a minimum charge of 10 cents to discourage their use. The ban aims to reduce plastic pollution, which endangers wildlife and threatens human health. However, some critics argue that bag bans negatively impact working families and seniors on fixed incomes without providing significant environmental benefits.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic bags banned in VT | Yes, single-use plastic bags are banned in Vermont |
| Law | Act 69 of 2019 |
| Law effective from | July 1, 2020 |
| Affected businesses | Stores and food service establishments |
| Plastic bags allowed | Plastic bags are allowed for packaging loose items, meat, flowers, dry cleaning, and prescription medications |
| Paper bags | Allowed at the point of sale for a minimum charge of 10 cents per bag |
| Plastic straws | Banned but can be provided upon customer request |
| Plastic stirrers | Banned |
| Plastic containers | Banned expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) food and beverage containers |
| Plastic film | Not banned but should be recycled separately |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic bags banned at point of sale
Vermont has banned single-use plastic bags from landfill disposal. The Single-Use Products Law, which came into effect on July 1, 2020, prohibits stores and food service establishments from providing single-use plastic carryout bags at the point of sale. The law bans all types of plastic carry-out bags provided to customers, including thick plastic bags.
The law permits stores to provide single-use paper bags at the point of sale if the customer is charged a minimum of 10 cents per bag. This charge is to encourage customers to bring and use their own reusable bags. The Vermont Department of Health has stated that reusable bags are safe to use, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Single-Use Products Law also bans plastic drink stirrers, primarily used for coffee, and expanded polystyrene, such as cups, trays, takeout containers, and egg cartons. It also creates a straws upon request policy in restaurants, meaning that plastic straws will no longer be automatically distributed. Any customer can request a straw, and hospitals and care facilities are exempt from this policy.
The law was enacted to mitigate the harmful effects of single-use plastic products and reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in Vermont's landfills. Single-use items, paper, and packaging make up almost a third of Vermont's trash. Following the implementation of the law, Vermonters reported using, on average, 91% fewer plastic bags, indicating a positive impact on reducing plastic waste.
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Plastic straws and stirrers banned
In 2019, Vermont's State Government passed a single-use products law (Act 69 of 2019) to mitigate the harmful effects of single-use plastic products and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. The law came into effect on July 1, 2020, and applies to all of Vermont.
Under this law, stores and food service establishments are prohibited from providing single-use plastic carryout bags at the point of sale, expanded polystyrene food and beverage containers, plastic straws (except upon customer request), and plastic stirrers.
Food service establishments may no longer automatically provide plastic straws to customers. They may, however, provide straws made from alternative materials (not compostable plastic) upon request. Hospitals, nursing homes, and other care facilities are exempt from this rule and may continue to provide plastic straws. Similarly, food service establishments may provide stirrers made from alternative materials but may no longer offer plastic stirrer sticks.
The law also permits stores to provide single-use paper bags at the point of sale if the customer is charged at least 10 cents per bag. This charge is intended to discourage the use of single-use bags and encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags.
The implementation of this law has resulted in a significant reduction in plastic bag usage, with Vermonters reporting using, on average, 91% fewer plastic bags after the law took effect.
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Paper bags available for a charge
In 2019, Vermont's State Government passed a single-use products law (Act 69 of 2019) to mitigate the harmful effects of single-use plastic products and reduce plastic waste. The law came into effect on July 1, 2020, and prohibits stores and food service establishments from providing single-use plastic carryout bags, expanded polystyrene food and beverage containers, plastic straws (except upon customer request), and plastic stirrers.
While plastic bags are banned, the law permits stores and food service establishments to provide single-use paper bags to customers at the point of sale if they are charged a minimum of 10 cents per bag. This measure encourages customers to bring their own reusable bags and discourages the use of single-use bags, whether plastic or paper. The money collected from the paper bag charges remains with the stores and restaurants to help compensate for the higher cost of paper bags.
The ban on single-use plastic bags in Vermont has had a positive impact on the environment by reducing plastic pollution. Following the implementation of the law, Vermonters reported using 91% fewer plastic bags, with no significant increase in the use of single-use paper bags. This suggests that customers are opting for reusable bags instead of simply switching from plastic to paper bags.
However, the transition to paper bags available for a charge has presented challenges for some food business owners and managers, who identify this requirement as one of the most difficult aspects of the law to comply with. Nevertheless, the overall effect of the law on food businesses has been mostly neutral or positive in terms of revenue and cleanliness.
It is important to note that the ban on single-use plastic bags does not apply to all plastic bags. Some plastic bags are still permitted for specific uses, such as packaging for loose items, meat, flowers, dry cleaning, and prescription medications. Additionally, plastic bags can still be recycled, but they should not be disposed of in regular recycling bins or dumpsters as they can cause issues in the recycling machinery.
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Plastic bags still accepted at some recycling centres
In Vermont, a single-use products law came into effect on July 1, 2020, banning stores and food service establishments from providing single-use plastic carryout bags at the point of sale. The law also prohibits the supply of expanded polystyrene food and beverage containers, plastic straws (unless requested by the customer), and plastic stirrers.
However, this does not mean that plastic bags are completely banned in Vermont. The law does not ban the retail sale of plastic bags or other uses of plastic bags. Plastic bags can be collected separately for recycling at some grocery and department stores, as well as some recycling centres and transfer stations. It is important to note that plastic bags should not be placed in blue-bin mixed recycling as they can get stuck in the machinery, causing an expensive and dangerous situation for workers.
Some recycling centres and grocery stores have special bins for certain clean and dry plastic bags. It is recommended to check with your local waste district or town to find out about options in your area or look for a drop-off location at plasticfilmrecycling.org. Only empty, clean, and dry plastic bags should be recycled, regardless of where they are taken. Different grocery stores and recycling centres may accept different types of bags, so it is important to check with them directly.
If there is any uncertainty about whether a bag is accepted for recycling, it is better to ask for help or throw the bag in the trash to avoid contaminating the recycling bin. At recycling centres, inquire about the types of bags they accept and how to prepare the bags for recycling. At grocery stores, refer to their posted guidelines or their website for information on the specific types of plastic bags they recycle.
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Reusable bags are safe to use during COVID-19
Vermont's Single-Use Products Law, which came into effect on July 1, 2020, bans plastic carry-out bags provided to customers at the point of sale. However, the law does not ban the retail sale of plastic bags or other uses of plastic bags. It encourages the reuse of plastic bags for purposes like pet waste and as can liners.
Reusable bags are safe to use during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Vermont Department of Health. This is supported by statements from more than 100 scientists from 18 countries, including epidemiologists, virologists, doctors, biologists, and chemists. They argue that reusable containers are safe for the following reasons:
Firstly, the virus spreads primarily through inhaling aerosolized droplets rather than surface contact. While the virus can survive on cardboard, paper, plastic, steel, and fabric, this risk applies to all objects in a store, not just reusable bags. Secondly, disposables have the same contamination issues as reusables, and single-use plastic does not offer any additional protection. Finally, reusable bags can be cleaned with common household cleaners and disinfectants before and after use, reducing the risk of contamination.
During the early stages of the pandemic, there was uncertainty about how COVID-19 spread, and some retailers asked customers to stop using their own reusable bags. This uncertainty was fueled by campaigns from plastic manufacturers and related industries, who inferred that reusable bags posed a health risk. However, these claims were not supported by scientific studies specific to coronavirus transmission.
Therefore, reusable bags can be safely used during the COVID-19 pandemic when basic hygiene practices are followed, such as cleaning the bags before and after use.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Vermont has banned single-use plastic bags from landfill disposal.
The ban came into effect on July 1, 2020.
The ban aims to mitigate the harmful effects of single-use plastic products and reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in Vermont's landfills.
Yes, stores are permitted to provide single-use paper bags at the point of sale if the customer is charged a small fee, typically 10 cents per bag. Customers are also encouraged to bring their own reusable bags.
Yes, the law also bans plastic straws (except upon customer request), plastic stirrers, and expanded polystyrene food and beverage containers.
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