Published by the Fairfield Minuteman, January 29, 2009
State Representative Kim Fawcett, who represents Fairfield and part of Westport, is working to create new legislation which would impose a restriction on the use of plastic and paper bags at the retail checkout counter throughout the state in order to promote the use of reusable bags.
Fawcett's working concept, which has already been introduced in the environment committee of the state legislature, is to impose a fee of 5 cents for each plastic and paper bag used at retail checkout counters, creating a stream of revenue which could possibly be targeted to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
If such legislation is put into effect, Connecticut would be the first state in the nation to legislate a restriction on plastic and paper bags, said Fawcett.
Fawcett said that the recently approved ordinance banning the use on plastic bags in Westport "got the ball rolling" and "started a conversation" among state legislators who have been trying to come up with a restriction that would make sense on a statewide level.
The idea of charging a nickel a bag emerged as a smart choice which would impose a fee, rather than a tax, on those who would still continue to use paper and plastic bags instead of reusable bags.
"Right now, in this economy, this makes sense because the fee is avoidable. If you bring your own bag, there is no fee. At the same time, those who use the bags, who use our natural resources, are paying a small fee for that luxury," said Fawcett.
She added, "It is okay to ask Americans to change their behavior."
The state DEP was chosen as the revenue recipient because as it faces cuts in funding, legislators hope that this revenue stream would offset any cuts which would force curtailment of environmental and conservation programs. "There is a natural connection," said Fawcett.
Legislators are still working on ways to phase in such a concept to the public over time, and where exceptions would make sense.
Fawcett said that it has been noted that where a fee has been imposed on the use of plastic bags, the use goes down. "We are hopeful that this would not just create a revenue stream for the DEP, but would actually result in a substantial reduction in the use of plastic and paper bags."
Fawcett is hopeful that the legislation could be voted on within the next six months, while the legislature is in session.
Fawcett has been elected twice as representative from District 133, which contains a large swath of Fairfield and all of Greens Farms in Westport.
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