Stamford Connecticut Considers Plastic Bag Ban

Stamford Plastic Bag Ban Would Be Significant Environmental Step Ahead for Connecticut!

Plastic bag bans are sweeping the country and Stamford, Connecticut could be next to join the ranks of plastic-bag-free cities. Representative John Zelinsky plans to introduce a bill that calls for a ban on single-use plastic bags. If passed, Stamford would be the first major city in the Constitution State to implement a plastic bag ban.

Details of Proposed Plastic Bag Ban

If passed, the single-use plastic bags would be banned in Stamford. Stores would have six months to comply with the law. Any stores that continue to distribute disposable plastic bags after the six-month mark would face a $100 fine. The health department would likely be tasked with enforcing the ban. Officials estimate more people would need to be hired to help with the enforcement.

History of Plastic Bag Bans in Connecticut

Plastic bag bans are not new to Connecticut. Nearby Westport passed a bag ban that became effective on March 19, 2009. Overall, the Westport ban has been a success. Residents transitioned to reusable shopping bags and using reusable bags is now second nature. Talk of implementing plastic bag bans is also happening in Hartford and Greenwich. Small cities, Darien and Wilton previously attempted to pass plastic bag bans of their own with no success.

Plastic Bag Bans Movement

Plastic bag bans are well established in areas such as California and neighboring Massachusetts. One trait common to many of the places that consider passing plastic bag bans is proximity to water. As a coastal city, Stamford is no exception. Plastic bag litter is an eyesore, and it tends to be a more visible nuisance in communities on or near water.

Impact of Plastic Bag Bans

Many Stamford residents support the proposed bag ban because of the difficulty recycling single-use plastic bags. If recycling was a viable option the bags could be repurposed into new bags and used again and again. That is not an option, so used plastic bags tend to end up in landfills or as litter. Both of these outcomes pose serious environmental impacts.

Future of Bag Ban in Stamford

We’ll continue to monitor the bag ban discussion in Stamford. The matter will need to go through a public hearing process before a vote can happen. Stay tuned to find out how the bill plays out, and make sure you never miss a green update by signing up for our newsletter. Check out our interactive plastic bag ban map to learn more about the plastic bag ban movement.

Get a Head Start on Proposed Plastic Bag Bans

Plastic bag bans create a demand for reusable shopping bags. Reusable bags are good for the environment and create an effective marketing solution for businesses. If you do business in Stamford, Westport or even Hartford or Greenwich consider creating custom reusable bags. Your customers will need and appreciate the bags and they will work to promote your branding message. We have been in the custom reusable bag business for over 20 years, so we have streamlined the process to be quick and cost-effective. Get in touch to learn how we work and request a quote!