Location:

Status	Pending
Notes	Update 5/30/2019 bans plastic bags and puts a five-cent fee on paper bags is scheduled for consideration on Wednesday, May 29. The bill was first heard on March 6 and was moved for further study. S.410 and companion bill H.5671 are considered a compromise from the original 10-cent fee on paper bags. The language was publicly supported by Governor Raimondo. at the May 29 meeting- proposed changes to be reviewed. New for 2019: The Governor's Task Force to Tackle Plastics has met three times already and created work groups to focus on specific topics for 2019. RI work group which is considering a plastic bag ban and at least one participant is advocating for paper to ban banned as well.
Updated	June 11, 2019

Status	Approved
Status Date	09/30/2012
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 2.25 thick and Specific ID requirements
Paper Summary	Requirements: No old growth fiber, 100% recyclable, 40% minimum of PCW and specific ID requirements
Reusable Definition	A bag with handles that is specially designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is (1) made of cloth or fabric and /or (2) made of durable plastic that is at least 2.25 mil thick.
Stores Affected	Retail Sales Establishment. Any enterprise whereby the sale or transfer to a customer of goods in exchange for payment occurring in retail stores, farmers' markets, flea markets and restaurants. This does not include sales of goods at yard sales, tag sales, other sales by residents at their home, and sales ...view more nonprofit organizations. view less
Fees	None
Comply Date	01/01/2013
Ordinance	2012-7
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	October 29, 2012

Status	Approved
Status Date	02/28/2018
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 4.0 mil
Paper Summary	Requirements: No old growth fiber, 100% recyclable, 40% minimum of PCW
Reusable Definition	Reusable Carryout Bag. A bag, with handles which are stitched and not heat-fused, that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse. The bag must be made of washable cloth, other durable woven or nonwoven fabric, or durable plastic film that is recyclable plastic with a minimum thickness of four mils.
Stores Affected	Retail Sales Establishment. Any enterprise whereby the sale or transfer to a customer of goods in exchange for payment occurring in retail stores, farmers' markets, flea markets and restaurants. This does not include sales of goods at yard sales, tag sales, other sales by residents at their home, and sales ...view more nonprofit organizations. view less
Comply Date	01/01/2019
Ordinance	#2018-2, Revising Section 24 adding Artcile V
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	December 03, 2018

Status	Approved
Status Date	09/18/2017
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 4.0 mils or thicker
Paper Summary	Requirements: No old growth fiber, 100% recyclable, 40% minimum of PCW and specific ID requirements
Reusable Definition	Reusable Bag means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is made primarily of cloth or other nonwoven textile or is constructed of multiple layers for insulation.
Stores Affected	Business establishment means a commercial enterprise that provides carryout bags to its customers, including sole proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations, or any other legal entity, and includes employees of the business and any independent contractors assiciated with the business. It does not include sales of goods at yard sales, tag ...view more other sales by residence in their homes, and slaes by nonprofit organizations. view less
Comply Date	04/22/2018
Ordinance	Chapter 22, environment
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	March 02, 2018

Status	Approved
Status Date	05/01/2017
Plastic Summary	Banned
Paper Summary	Requirements: no old growth fiber, 100% recyclable, 40% minimum of PCW and specific ID requirements
Reusable Definition	Reusable Bag means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is made primarily of cloth or other nonwoven textile or is constructed of multiple layers for insulation.
Stores Affected	Business establishment means a commercial enterprise that provides carryout bags to its customers, including sole proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations, or any other legal entity, and includes employees of the business and any independent contractors assiciated with the business. It does not include sales of goods at yard sales, tag ...view more other sales by residence in their homes, and slaes by nonprofit organizations. view less
Comply Date	11/01/2017
Ordinance	2017-9
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	August 04, 2017

Status	Pending
Updated	April 01, 2019

Status	Approved
Status Date	12/01/2017
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 4.0 mil or thicker
Paper Summary	Requirements: No old growth fiber, 100% recyclable, 40% minimum of PCW and specific ID requirements
Reusable Definition	A bag, with handles which are stitched and not heat-fused, that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse. The bag must be made of washable cloth, other durable woven or nonwoven fabric, or durable plastic film that is recyclable plastic with a minimum thickness of four mils.
Stores Affected	Business establishment means a commercial enterprise that provides carryout bags to its customers, including sole proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations, or any other legal entity, and includes employees of the business and any independent contractors assiciated with the business. It does not include sales of goods at yard sales, tag ...view more other sales by residence in their homes, and slaes by nonprofit organizations. view less
Comply Date	01/01/2018
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	March 02, 2018

Status	Approved
Status Date	03/08/2017
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 4.0 mil
Reusable Definition	A bag, that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse. Any straps must be stitched and not heat fused. The bag must be made of washable cloth, other durable woven or nonwoven fabric, or durable plastic with a minimum thickness of four mils.
Stores Affected	Any commercial enterprise, including sole proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations, or any other legal entity, and includes all employees of the business and any independent contractors associated with the business. "Business establishment" does not include the sale of goods at yard sales, tag sales and other sales by residents at ...view more homes. view less
Comply Date	11/01/2017
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	August 29, 2017

Status	Approved
Status Date	07/30/2018
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 4.0 mil
Paper Summary	Recyclable Paper Bag means a paper bag that is fully recyclable overall and contains a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content and contains no old growth fiber. The bag should display the words "Reusable" and "Recyclable" on the outside of the bag.
Reusable Definition	Reusable Bag means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is made primarily of cloth, other nonwoven textile or durable plastic with a minimum thickness of four (4) mils. Any straps or handles shall be stitched. If the bag does not have handles, it must be stitched at the point of carry.
Stores Affected	Business Establishment is any commercial enterprise that provides carryout bags to its customers, including sole proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations, or any other legal entity and including all employees of the business and any independent contractors associated with the business. "Business Establishment" does not include sales of goods at yard ...view more tag sales, other sales by residents at their homes, and sales by nonprofit organizations. view less
Comply Date	01/01/2019
Ordinance	#18-14 adding Artcile XVI, section 9
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	December 03, 2018

Status	Approved
Status Date	02/26/2018
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 4.0 mil
Paper Summary	A paper bag that is fully recyclable overall and contains a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content and contains no old growth fiber. The bag should display the words "reusable" and "recyclable" or the universal recycling logo on the outside of the bag.
Reusable Definition	A bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is made primarily of cloth or other nonwoven textile or durable plastic with a minimum thickness of four mils. Any straps must be stitched and not heat fused.
Stores Affected	Any commercial enterprise that provides carryout bags to its customers, including sole proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations, or any other legal entity and includes all employees of the business and any independent contractors associated with the business. "Business establishment" does not include sales of goods at yard sales, tag sales, ...view more sales by residents at their homes, and sales by nonprofit organizations. view less
Comply Date	09/01/2018
Ordinance	2018-3-12, Chapter 326, Article VI
Notes	4/5/2017 Reviewed at City Council meeting. This has been post poned indefinitely. 3/9/2017 Intial presentation of the Newport Ordinance and the draft Middletown ordinance in the month of April
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	November 14, 2018

Status	Approved
Status Date	04/22/2019
Paper Summary	Means a paper bag that is one hundred percent (100%) recyclable including the handles, contains at least forty percent (40%) post-consumer paper content, and displays the words “Recyclable” and “made from 40% post-consumer recycled content (or other applicable amount) in a visible manner on the outside of the bag.
Reusable Definition	Means a bag specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse, with handles which are stitched and not heat-fused. The bag shall not be made of any non-recycled plastic
Stores Affected	Means any person, corporation, partnership, business venture, or vendor that sells or provides merchandise, goods, or materials directly to a customer, whether for or not for profit, including but not limited to restaurants pharmacies, convenience and grocery stores, liquor stores, seasonable and temporary businesses, jewelry stores, and household goods stores. ...view more establishment" does not include sales by residents at their homes. view less
Comply Date	11/22/2019
Ordinance	Chapter 12,section 20
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	June 11, 2019

Status	Approved
Status Date	06/29/2018
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 4.0 mil
Paper Summary	Recyclable paper bag – A paper bag that is fully recyclable overall and contains a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content and contains no old growth fiber. The bag should display the words "Reusable" and "Recyclable" or the universal recycling log on the outside of the bag.
Reusable Definition	Reusable bag – A bag, with handles that are stitched and not heat fused, that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is made primarily of cloth or other nonwoven textile or durable plastic with a minimum thickness of four mils.
Stores Affected	Business establishment – Any commercial enterprise that provides plastic carryout bags to its customers, including sole proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations, or any other legal entity and includes all employees of the business and any independent contractors associated with the business. For the purposes of the ordinance, "business establishment" shall also ...view more farmers' markets. "Business establishment" does not include sales of goods at yard sales, tag sales, other sales by residents at their homes, and sales by nonprofit organizations view less
Comply Date	01/01/2019
Ordinance	Chapter 9, Article VII
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	December 03, 2018

Status	Pending
Updated	January 02, 2019

Status	Approved
Status Date	06/12/2018
Plastic Summary	Requirements: 4.0 mil
Paper Summary	A paper bag that is fully recyclable overall and contains a minimum of forty (40) percent post-consumer recycled content and contains no old growth fiber.
Reusable Definition	A bag, with handles which are stitched and not heat-fused, that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse. The bag must be made of washable cloth, other durable woven or nonwoven fabric, or durable plastic film that is recyclable plastic with a minimum thickness of four (4) mils.
Stores Affected	Any enterprise whereby the sale or transfer to a customer of goods in exchange for payment occurring in retail stores, farmers' markets, flea markets, and restaurants. This does not include sales of goods at yard sales, tag sales, other sales by residents at their homes, and sales by nonprofit organizations.
Comply Date	12/01/2018
Ordinance	Chapter 11, section 11-364 Article XIII
More Information	Link to more information
Updated	December 03, 2018