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February 13, 2019

Newfoundland and Labrador, Connecticut Considering Plastic Bag Bans

By  Sara Lavenduski

The easternmost province of Canada and the state of Connecticut are both considering bans on plastic bags, which could pose an opportunity for promotional product distributors to sell more branded reusable bags in those locales.

Graham Letto, environment minister for the Labrador West region, said a decision on a province-wide ban can be expected in weeks.

“Right now, we haven’t completed the work that needs to be done in order to reach a decision,” he told The Telegram in St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland. “We’re continuing to meet with different stakeholders. We’ve consulted with them. We certainly do hear the public cry…One way or the other, I think we’ll be making the decision in the near future.”

The push for the ban is being led by Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador, a provincial advocacy group. A #BanTheBag day of action on social media is scheduled for March 11. So far, six municipalities in the province, including Twillingate, New World Island and Mary’s Harbour, have already implemented bag bans. Halifax, the capital of nearby Nova Scotia province, has implemented a prohibition on plastic bags that could become official later this year.

Letto says that making sure local industries are ready for a ban is essential. “We have to get a clear indication from independent businesses, the small businesses out there that use this material,” he told The Telegram. “We have to look at a transition period. We have to look at different things, take all that into consideration. Businesses are supposedly in a lot of cases struggling as we speak. We don’t want to put additional burden onto them. I think it’s clear that the public wants to see a ban.”

Letto added that bans on other types of plastics could follow. “We’re taking everything into consideration,” he said. “You talk about the cups, but I think the plastic is the danger to the environment, to marine life and birds. At this point, we’re looking at all that.”

Meanwhile, in Connecticut, state officials are under increasing pressure to pass a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags. The state legislature’s Environment Committee currently has 18 plastic bag ban bills up for debate for this month’s session. Sen. Christine Cohen (D-Guilford), co-chair of the committee, expects it will hold a public hearing on possible legislation before the end of February. “There’s going to be a lot of discussion on this,” she told the Hartford Courant.

Those who oppose the ban argue that there would be a significant impact on the plastics industry, that low-income people might find it difficult to afford bag fees, and that consumers often reuse even single-use plastic bags for different reasons.

Officials from the plastics industry also contend that thicker, reusable plastic bags and paper bags are more costly to produce and take up significant space in landfills. They’ve also expressed concern that a ban could mean the loss of thousands of jobs, and have noted that single-use bags are recyclable. Activists counter that just 5% of the bags are properly recycled.

Already, five Connecticut cities and towns have implemented prohibitions on single-use plastic bags. Such prohibitions are under serious consideration in 17 others. Retailers are concerned that the resulting conglomeration of ordinances could be confusing for them and their customers.

“I think that becomes confusing for consumers and becomes more difficult for retailers,” said Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association, which represents grocery stores and food wholesalers. “That’s why it’s critical to get it done on the state level.”

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