2018 -- H 7851

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LC005049

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Handy, Regunberg, Fogarty, and Tanzi

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2018

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 19.17

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PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION ACT

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     23-19.17-1. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

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     (1) "Department" means the department of environmental management.

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     (2) "Expanded polystyrene" means polystyrene that has been expanded into a solid foam.

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     (3) "Large retail sales establishment" means a retail sales establishment with five million

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dollars ($5,000,000) or more in annual gross retail sales volume, including, but not limited to,

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local retail sales establishments with a "parent and/or franchising company" that has five million

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dollars ($5,000,000) or more in annual gross retail sales volume.

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     (4) "Parent and/or franchising company" means an entity that owns or controls other

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retail sales establishments which are legal entities in their own right or a business system in which

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private entrepreneurs purchase the rights to open and run a retail sales establishment location of a

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larger company.

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     (5) "Plastic checkout bag" means a carryout bag that is provided by a business to a

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customer for the purpose of transporting groceries or other retail goods, and is made from non-

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compostable plastic and not specifically designed and manufactured for multiple re-use.

 

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     The term "plastic checkout bag" does not include the following types of bags which are

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excluded from the ban and may continue in use:

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     (i) Bags used by customers inside a business to package loose items, such as fruits,

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vegetables, nuts, ground coffee, grains, candies, or small hardware items;

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     (ii) Bags used to contain or wrap frozen foods, meat or fish, flowers or potted plants, or

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other items to contain dampness;

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     (iii) Bags provided by pharmacists to contain prescription medications;

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     (iv) Newspaper bags for home newspaper delivery;

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     (v) Door-hanger bags;

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     (vi) Laundry, dry cleaning, or garment bags, including bags provided by hotels to guests

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to contain wet or dirty clothing;

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     (vii) Bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended for use as garbage, pet

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waste, or yard waste bags;

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     (viii) Bags used to contain live animals, such as fish or insects sold in pet stores;

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     (ix) Bags used to transport chemical pesticides, drain-cleaning chemicals, or other caustic

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chemicals sold at the retail level; provided that this exemption shall be limited to one bag per

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customer;

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     (x) Compostable plastic bags.

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     (6) "Retail sales establishment" means any enterprise whereby the sale or transfer to a

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customer of goods in exchange for payment occurs in a retail store, flea market, or restaurant.

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This meaning does not include sales of goods at farmers' markets, yard sales, tag sales, other sales

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by residents at their homes, or sales by nonprofit organizations.

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     (7) "Small retail sales establishment" means a retail sales establishment with less than

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five million dollars ($5,000,000) in annual gross retail sales volume.

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     23-19.17-2. Plastic waste reduction.

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     (a) Effective January 1, 2021, large retail sales establishments are prohibited from

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making available any plastic checkout bag;

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     (b) Effective January 1, 2021, no retail sales establishment, including large retail sales

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establishments and small retail sales establishments, shall make available any expanded

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polystyrene disposable food container at the point of sale.

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     23-19.17-3. Paper bag fee requirements.

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     (a) For each paper bag provided to a customer, the retail sales establishment may collect

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from customers, at the time of purchase, a paper bag fee of up to twenty-five cents ($0.25).

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     (b) A retail sales establishment which collects a paper bag fee shall exempt a customer

 

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from the paper bag fee when that customer uses an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card or is

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using a payment card or voucher issued by the state for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

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Program (SNAP) or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

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(WIC).

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     (c) All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be retained by the retail sales

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establishment.

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     23-19.17-4. Enforcement penalty.

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     (a) This chapter shall be implemented, administered and enforced by the municipal police

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departments, or any other department or division designated by their mayors or town managers.

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     (b) Upon being made aware of a potential violation of this chapter, the municipality's

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designee shall investigate and determine whether a violation has occurred.

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     (c) If the investigation confirms that a violation has occurred, the municipality's designee

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shall give written notice to the owner of the property, the owner's agent, and/or the person

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committing the violation that the violation is occurring and must immediately cease.

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     (d) The notice shall be in writing and shall be served upon the person to whom it is

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directed either by personal delivery or by posting the notice upon a conspicuous portion of the

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property and by sending a copy of the notice by certified mail to the person to whom the notice is

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directed.

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     23-19.17-5. Ordinances.

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     Municipalities are authorized to enact ordinances necessary to implement the purposes of

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this chapter.

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     23-19.17-6. Opt out election.

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     A municipality may opt out of the provisions of this chapter by resolution of their

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governing body or local ballot referendum any time prior to the effective date of this chapter.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2021.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION ACT

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     This act would prohibit large retail sales establishments from providing plastic checkout

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bags and all retail establishments from providing expanded polystyrene disposable food

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containers enforced by municipal police departments or other municipal designees with an opt out

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provision.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2021.

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