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Plastic Pollution

Business
Wegmans Will Eliminate Plastic Bags In All Stores Wegmans Will Eliminate Plastic Bags In All Stores
Wegmans Will Eliminate Plastic Bags In All Stores Wegmans is going all-in on its plastic bag ban. The grocery giant announced that it will eliminate the use of plastic bags companywide by the end of 2022 as it seeks to shift customers to reusable bags, which they said is "the best option to solve the environmental challenge of single-use grocery bags.” Moving forward, Wegmans locations will be charging five cents per paper bag, mirroring measures that have already been put in place in New York and other major markets. Officials said that in areas that have eliminated plastic bags, approximately a quarter of customers use paper bags, whil…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Plastic Bag Fee Returns In Connecticut COVID-19: Plastic Bag Fee Returns In Connecticut
Covid-19: Plastic Bag Fee Returns In Connecticut After being suspended for more than three months, the plastic bag fee at retailers in Connecticut is back as the state recovers from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed an Executive Order on Thursday, March 26 suspending the $0.10 fee for each single-use plastic bag in an attempt to curtail the spread of COVID-19. That Executive Order expired on June 30, and as of Wednesday, July 1, retailers providing customers with plastic bags will once again be collecting the fee, which goes to the state’s Department of Revenue Services. If a store charges a …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Styrofoam Ban Approved For Norwalk Styrofoam Ban Approved For Norwalk
Styrofoam Ban Approved For Norwalk Styrofoam packing will soon be a thing of the past for one of Fairfield County’s largest cities. In an effort to aid the environment, the Common Council voted unanimously this week to ban styrofoam in Norwalk, effective as of April 22, 2020. According to studies, styrofoam is responsible for approximately 30 percent of all landfill volume nationwide and 20 percent of the litter in bodies of water. The chemicals used to make styrofoam have also been linked to cancer and neurological issues in humans. In Norwalk, the new ordinance will ban retailers from serving, selling, distributing or pro…

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by Zak Failla
News
Stop & Shop To Ban Plastic Bags At All CT Stores Stop & Shop To Ban Plastic Bags At All CT Stores
Stop & Shop To Ban Plastic Bags At All CT Stores In just days, Stop & Shop will become the latest retailer in Connecticut to ban the use of single-use plastic bags. After Big Y announcing that it is eliminating the use of plastic bags in its Connecticut stores, Stop & Shop said that that, beginning on Thursday, Aug. 1, stores will begin eliminating the use of plastic bags at checkout. The store also announced that it will begin charging 10 cents per paper bag as of Tuesday, Sept. 3. The move is part of a statewide effort. “We know that the environmental impact of plastics is something our customers and communities care about he…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Plastic Bag Ban To Take Effect At Prominent Connecticut Grocery Store Plastic Bag Ban To Take Effect At Prominent Connecticut Grocery Store
Plastic Bag Ban To Take Effect At Prominent Connecticut Grocery Store Plastic bags will soon be a thing of the past at a prominent Connecticut grocery store, as they begin phasing them out as part of efforts to become more economically friendly. Big Y announced that as of Thursday, Aug. 1, it will be eliminating single-use plastic bags from more than 80 markets and specialty stores located in Connecticut and Massachusetts.  "By working with shoppers, Big Y aims to further reduce consumption to make a difference across New England," the company announced. "As laws and regulations across the local communities that Big Y serves continue to change, the groce…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Whole Foods Will Become First National Grocer To Ban Plastic Straws Whole Foods Will Become First National Grocer To Ban Plastic Straws
Whole Foods Will Become First National Grocer To Ban Plastic Straws Get ready to say goodbye to plastic straws, Whole Foods shoppers, the supermarket chain has officially announced that it will be the first national grocer to eliminate the product from its stores. By July, the retailer announced that it will remove plastic straws from all Whole Foods-operated venues. This includes Allegro coffee bars, juice bars and cafes. The ban includes all of the grocer’s locations throughout the United States as well as Canada and the United Kingdom. As a more sustainable alternative to plastic straws, officials say, Whole Foods employees will offer paper straws with …

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Connecticut Moves Step Closer To Ban On Plastic Bags, Takeout Containers, Straws Connecticut Moves Step Closer To Ban On Plastic Bags, Takeout Containers, Straws
Connecticut Moves Step Closer To Ban On Plastic Bags, Takeout Containers, Straws With more and more municipalities in Connecticut banning single-use plastic bags, the state is taking measures to make those measures further reaching. The legislature’s Environment Committee voted 24-4 for a bipartisan bill that would ban the sale of single-use plastic bags, straws and take-out containers as soon as 2020. The proposed legislation would require stores use 100 percent recyclable paper bags that contain no less than 40 percent recycled materials. The bill will now go to the Senate for a vote. Under the proposed law, stores that fail to comply will be issued a warning for a f…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Push For Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban Picking Up Steam Statewide Push For Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban Picking Up Steam Statewide
Push For Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban Picking Up Steam Statewide The push to ban single-use plastic bags is gaining steam as elected officials propose legislation to phase them out in Connecticut. Two bills have been sent to the General Assembly’s Environmental Committee in Connecticut that would either ban or disincentive the use of such bags by charging a fee for each one used. The first bill, co-sponsored by Reps. David Michel and Josh Elliott would potentially ban plastic bags, straws, certain packaging and other products that contain microplastics. The second proposed bill, submitted by Rep. Christine Conley, would see a five-cent tax on any si…

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by Zak Failla