US: New bill to tax single-use carryout bags nationally

On November 5 2015, H.R. 3977 was introduced, to institute a minimum 10-cent fee on each single-use plastic and paper carryout bag distributed by retailers across the country. The proposed law would be called the Trash Reduction Act of 2015. Retailers that implement a qualified plastic carryout bag recycling program would be allowed a 4-cent credit for each bag they charge. The bill defines the requirements of such a program, which include, among others, that bags be 100% recyclable, be made of either high-density or low-density polyethylene and display SPI resin identification code numbers. If approved, the law would take effect on 1 July 2016 (State Recycling Laws Update, 16 November 2015).
Click here for H.R. 3977.
With NVC MERGE (Members-only Environmental Regulations Guide) you can stay up-to-date with the environmental requirements for your packaging. MERGE is exclusively for NVC members and there are no costs involved.

If you have any questions about this subject, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411. This item is also included in our monthly overview, the NVC Members-only Update.