US state expands law banning common item from grocery stores to block checkout loophole as it ‘adds unnecessary costs’ ...Middle East

A NEW bill will restrict the types of bags shoppers can receive at grocery stores.

The bill was signed into law last week, closing a loophole in a law approved back in 2020.

Under the new law, grocery stores will not be allowed to give consumers thicker, reusable plastic bags at checkout.

The law also applies to restaurants and other retail locations.

Democratic Governor Tina Kotek signed the bill into law in Oregon at the beginning of June, further restricting plastic bag use in the state.

The thicker plastic bags were intended to be reused multiple times, but customers rarely do so, Oregon Live reported.

“Wasteful disposable plastics like thick plastic checkout bags aren’t just annoying for consumers, they add unnecessary costs to our Oregon businesses, and are contributing to an ever increasing pile of plastic trash that is harming the environment and public health,” Democratic senator Janeen Sollman, the bill’s chief sponsor, said in a statement.

The bill initially planned to restrict the use of plastic utensils, condiments, and plastic toiletries often given out at hotels.

Under the law, those items would be provided upon request, similar to the plastic straw-on-request law that was passed in the state in 2019.

However, once the law reached the House, those sections were removed.

The new laws are scheduled to take effect in 2027.

Plastic bags have been proven to be harmful to the environment, as they often end up in landfills, where they can take up to 1000 years to decompose.

On average, Americans use approximately 100 billion plastic bags each year, which translates to around 300 per person annually, according to data from Environment America.

Worldwide, the use of plastic bags is estimated to be as high as five trillion, according to Beyond Plastics.

Single-use plastic bags account for around 10% of the debris found on the coastlines of the United States. 

Opponents of plastic bag bans argue that people may just buy other types of plastic bags in their place.

Which states have single-use plastic bag bans?

Several states have enforced strict rules against retailer handing out these bags to shoppers.

Source: World Economic Forum

GROWING BAN

Oregon joins 11 other states in restricting the use of plastic bags at retail stores and restaurants.

California was the first state to begin implementing strict bag restrictions on single-use plastic bags in 2016. 

Since then, 11 others have joined, including Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

Pennsylvania is the next state proposing to ban single-use plastic bags.

“Embedded within our constitution is our right to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of our environment for the enjoyment and use of generations to come,” a memo from Democratic State Senator Judith Schwank said, ABC affiliate WHTM reported. 

“Plastic pollution poses serious threats to our environmental rights, public health, and community resources. 

“These threats are so serious that this legislation was developed by a concerned group of ambitious young student advocates in my district, and this is why I will be introducing legislation to prohibit the usage of single-use plastic bags by retailers across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( US state expands law banning common item from grocery stores to block checkout loophole as it ‘adds unnecessary costs’ )

Also on site :

• Reform MP James McMurdock suspends himself from party over ‘business propriety during pandemic’
• Disturbed’s David Draiman Met with Some Boos at Final Black Sabbath Concert
• Trump wants more skilled tradespeople. His Labor Department is trying to cut off a pipeline of workers