Plastic Bag Ban, Composting Laws Begin in VT

Vermont’s ban on plastic bags and throwing out food scraps began on Wednesday, reports WCAX.

Starting on Wednesday, VT food and service establishments are not allowed to give customers plastic carryout bags. Customers will either need to bring their own reusable bags, or pay 10 cents for paper bags. Exceptions to the rule include loose in-store items like coffee, flowers, meat, or nuts.

Citizens will now need to compost their food scraps rather than throwing them in the trash. VT lawmakers hope this will save landfill space and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are a few composting options; composting at home, using a drop-off site, or a curbside hauler. Lawmakers state that nobody will be going through citizens trash bags, but that they are hoping for voluntary compliance.

Both laws are aiming to cut down on the amount of waste in VT landfills.