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New This Week -- Connecticut's Plastic Bag Ban

File Photo
Jade Allen
/
Connecticut Public Radio
File Photo

Connecticut shoppers will no longer be allowed to buy single-use plastic bags as of July 1, as the second phase of a state law banning those bags takes effect.

Since the law passed, the state has eliminated almost 500 million plastic shopping bags, said Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association.

“Those things were ending up in waterways, water tables, trees, power lines -- you name it,” Pesce said. 

Pesce says more and more customers are already shopping with their own reusable bags.

“Prior to the law, about less than 10% of consumers in Connecticut brought their own bag,” he said. “Since the inception of the law, 90% of consumers today bring their own bag.”

With more shoppers using reusable bags, Pesce hopes the change in the law won’t cause any great uproar.

“It’s a good law, it’s working, people are used to it today. I don’t see the July 1 ban on plastics having any disruption,” he said.

Though plastic bags will no longer be available, consumers can still use produce bags and buy paper bags for 10 cents apiece.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.