Rep. Rose Works To Eliminate Plastic Bags

From The State of CT:State Representative Kim Rose (D-Milford) was presented with a petition with 700 signatures from Milford residents requesting her to introduce legislation to ban single-use plastic bags in grocery and department stores in the state due to environmental health concerns.

“Hundreds of thousands of plastic bags end up polluting the environment every year and I am committed to addressing the damage that plastic bags have on a state level,” Rep. Rose said. “We cannot leave it up to a hundred and sixty nine towns and cities to individually do this - we should be able to come together and figure out a solution like other states have done.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. After their brief use, they persist in landfills, oceans, parks and beaches for thousands of years.

Problems with disposable bags include the leaching of chemicals into the soil, fatal ingestion by wildlife and the heavy expending of natural resources in manufacturing.

“I will be introducing legislation next session to ban the use of single-use plastic bags and will work hard to advance this measure through the process,” Rep. Rose added. “This will help move the health of Connecticut’s environment forward and will allow us to join the states that have addressed this issue.”

Rep. Rose is co-chair of the Women’s Caucus, House vice chair of the legislature’s Housing Committee, Assistant Majority Whip and a member of the Internship and Veterans Affairs Committees.

Image via Shuttershock