5 Things To Know About CT’s Bag Tax

HARTFORD, CT — Forgetting to bring your own bags to the store will cost you 10 cents per bag starting Aug 1. That’s when the state starts its tax on single-use plastic shopping bags. You may have noticed reminder flyers at your local grocery store or had a cashier try to sell you a reusable bag at checkout.

1. First A Tax, Then A Ban

The state expects to raise $30.2 million in fiscal year 2020 and $26.8 million in fiscal year 2021 from the new tax, which was instituted as part of the state budget.

The 10-cent tax will last for almost two years and single-use bags will be banned July 1, 2021.

2) What About Bags In The Meat And Produce Aisle?

It’s important to note that the tax doesn’t include bags that are used to contain meat, seafood, produce and other similar items that aren’t already in bags at the store.

3) Reusable Bags Can Contain Harmful Bacteria

One of the biggest pros about single-use bags is that they can be discarded after one use, which reduces the risk of bacterial contamination, especially when it comes to raw meats and produce that can carry E. coli or Salmonella.

A research study conducted by the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University in 2010 found that 97 percent of people never washed or bleached their reusable bags. The study also found that bacteria levels in reusable bags are often significant enough to cause serious health issues, especially for young children who are susceptible to food-borne illnesses.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers the following tips on how to keep reusable bags safe:

• Wash bags often. Cloth bags usually can be washed in a washing machine and plastic-lined bags can be scrubbed with hot water and soap and air-dried.
• Raw meats should always be put in a disposable plastic bags and the bags should be thrown away after one use.
• Use separate bags for meat, produce and packaged items to reduce cross-contamination.
• Have dedicated bags for grocery use only.
• Store bags in a cool, dry place and not in a hot car trunk.

4) My Town Passed A Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban, Now What Happens?

Some towns have already passed their own single-use plastic bag bans. These local ordinances still count so long as they are the same or more stringent than the state law. It allows towns to regulate the use of single-use paper bags, such as enabling stores to charge for bags.

5) What About Paper Bags?

Paper bags don’t fall under the state law, but could fall under local laws. It’s important to note that while paper bags will degrade faster than plastic, it takes more energy to process a paper bag than a plastic one. One study found that paper bags would have to be used three times to have the same environmental impact as a plastic bag.

The same study also found that a cotton bag would have to be reused 131 times to have a similar impact as a single-use thin plastic bag.