Las bolsas de película de plástico ya no serán distribuidas por los vendedores minoristas en Delaware

El Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Control Ambiental de Delaware le recuerda a los compradores minoristas del estado que pronto cambiarán sus opciones para el envasado de comestibles y bienes de consumo. A partir del 1. ° de julio, las tiendas minoristas de Delaware (todas las tiendas minoristas excepto los restaurantes) dejarán de ofrecer bolsas de plástico al momento de pagar en las cajas. Una prohibición actualizada de las bolsas de plástico, aprobada por la Asamblea General de Delaware en 2021, amplía la prohibición de las bolsas de plástico de 2019 para incluir todas las tiendas minoristas (con los restaurantes de nuevo como excepción), independientemente de su tamaño, y prohíbe la distribución o venta de todas las bolsas de película de plástico para llevar al momento de pagar en las cajas.

Según la prohibición de las bolsas de plástico de Delaware de 2019, la ley permitía que las bolsas de película de plástico de 2,25 milímetros de grosor se consideraran reutilizables. El pasado mes de junio, la legislatura amplió la prohibición estatal de las bolsas de plástico para incluir todas las bolsas de película de plástico para llevar, independientemente de su grosor. A partir del 1. ° de julio, los minoristas podrán optar por ofrecer bolsas de papel o bolsas reutilizables de tela u otro tejido resistente con asas cosidas. La ley también permite a las tiendas minoristas cobrar a los clientes por estas bolsas al momento de pagar en las cajas.

El DNREC fomenta el uso de las bolsas de tela o tejido que traen los clientes a los comercios donde compran, al tiempo que aconseja que estas bolsas reutilizables se laven o limpien después de cada uso, dándoles la vuelta y limpiándolas con un producto de limpieza o desinfectante.

El objetivo de la prohibición ampliada de las bolsas de plástico es reducir la basura en las carreteras, las vías fluviales y las costas; ahorrar un valioso espacio en los vertederos; aumentar los esfuerzos de reciclaje; y ayudar a las instalaciones de reciclaje a evitar retrasos cuando las bolsas de plástico se atascan en su maquinaria.

“Antes de la promulgación de esta ley en 2019, se estimaba que cada habitante de Delaware utilizaba aproximadamente 434 bolsas de plástico al año, muchas de las cuales terminaban como residuos en nuestros vertederos”, dijo el secretario del DNREC, Shawn M. Garvin. “Al reajustar la legislación para limitar aún más el uso de las bolsas de película de plástico para llevar, estamos reduciendo los residuos que con demasiada frecuencia acaban en nuestras carreteras, en nuestras vías fluviales y a lo largo de nuestras costas, todo ello siendo perjudicial para nuestro medio ambiente, incluidos los efectos nocivos para nuestra vida silvestre y las criaturas marinas”.

Todas las tiendas minoristas que sigan proporcionando bolsas exentas deben mantener un programa de reciclaje en el establecimiento para las bolsas de plástico y de película de plástico, incluidos los forros de las cajas de cereales, las fundas de los periódicos y las bolsas de un solo uso para productos agrícolas o carne y mariscos frescos. Los lugares de entrega de las bolsas deben ser visibles y accesibles dentro de la tienda. Las bolsas que ya no son reutilizables o que no se desean deben reciclarse en estos lugares. La División de Residuos y Sustancias Peligrosas del DNREC también recuerda a los ciudadanos de Delaware que las bolsas de plástico nunca deben depositarse en los contenedores que forman parte del programa estatal de reciclaje en la acera, sino que se deben devolver a las tiendas de las que proceden para su reciclaje.

Los consumidores y los comerciantes minoristas pueden encontrar más información sobre la prohibición ampliada de las bolsas de plástico en de.gov/bags.

Sobre el DNREC
El Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Control Ambiental de Delaware protege y gestiona los recursos naturales del estado, protege la salud pública, ofrece oportunidades de recreación al aire libre y educa a los habitantes de Delaware sobre el medio ambiente. La División de Residuos y Sustancias Peligrosas del DNREC garantiza la gestión de los residuos de Delaware para proteger la vida humana, la salud, la seguridad y el medio ambiente. Para más información, visite el sitio web y contacte al DNREC en Facebook, Twitter o LinkedIn.

Contactos con los medios de comunicación: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

DNREC reminds shoppers the enhanced plastic carryout bag ban will be in effect July 1. DNREC photo.

[versión en español]

Film Bags No Longer to Be Distributed by Retail Vendors in Delaware

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control reminds retail shoppers in the state their options are soon to change for packaging groceries and consumer goods. Starting July 1, retail stores in Delaware – all retail stores except restaurants – will no longer provide plastic bags at checkout. An updated plastic bag ban, passed by the Delaware General Assembly in 2021, expands the 2019 plastic bag ban to include all retail stores (with restaurants again the exception) regardless of size, and bans the distribution or sale of all plastic film carryout bags at checkout.

Under Delaware’s 2019 plastic bag ban, the law allowed 2.25 mil-thick plastic film bags to be considered reusable. Last June, the legislature enhanced the state’s plastic bag ban to include all plastic film carryout bags regardless of thickness. Starting July 1, retailers can choose to offer paper bags, or reusable bags made from cloth or other durable fabric with stitched handles. The law also allows retail stores to charge customers for these bags at checkout.

DNREC encourages the use of the cloth or fabric bags brought by customers to businesses where they shop, while advising that these reusable bags should be washed or cleaned after each use by turning them inside out and wiping them down with a cleaning agent or disinfectant.

The goal of the enhanced bag ban is to reduce roadside, waterway and seaside litter; to save valuable landfill space; to increase recycling efforts; and to help recycling facilities avoid delays when plastic bags get stuck in their machinery.

”Prior to the enactment of this law in 2019, it was estimated that each Delawarean used approximately 434 plastic bags each year, many of which wound up as waste in our landfills,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “By realigning the legislation to further limit the use of film carryout bags, we are reducing waste that all too often ends up along on our roadway, in our waterways and along our shorelines – all detrimental to our environment including harmful effects on our wildlife and marine creatures.”

All retail stores that continue to provide exempt bags are required to maintain an At-Store Recycling program for plastic and film bags, including cereal box liners, newspaper sleeves, and single-use produce or meat and fresh seafood bags. The drop-off locations should be visible and accessible within the store. Bags that are no longer reusable or unwanted should be recycled at these locations. DNREC Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances also reminds Delawareans that plastic bags should never be placed in the bins that are part of the state’s curbside recycling program, but should instead be returned to the stores the bags came from for recycling.

Consumers and retailers can find more information about the enhanced plastic bag ban at de.gov/bags.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances ensures Delaware’s wastes are managed to protect human life, health, safety and the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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Consumers and some businesses in Delaware will no longer be able to use or distribute single-use plastic carryout bags at the point-of-sale starting January 1. Plastic carryout bags are commonly used to take items home from convenience, grocery and other retail stores. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control urges consumers to bring reusable bags to stores instead and to clean/disinfect those bags between uses.

The ban is designed to reduce beach and roadside litter, save landfill space, increase recycling efforts and help recycling facilities from having to shut down when plastic bags get stuck in the machinery.

“Each Delawarean uses about 434 plastic bags and that means nearly 2,400 tons of plastic bags end up in our landfills annually,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin. “A decrease by the public of plastic carryout bags can mitigate a large portion of this waste, and help our environment by reducing the amount plastic bags on our roads and waterways that can harm us and our wildlife.”

House Bill 130 implementing the ban was sponsored by 12 legislators led by Rep. Gerald Brady and Sen. Trey Paradee, and was passed in 2019 and signed by Gov. John Carney.

Retailers can choose to offer paper bags, or cloth bags, or a thicker type of plastic bag that is designed to be reusable. The law allows retail stores to charge a fee for the bags they provide at point of sale. DNREC advises consumers to wash or disinfect their reusable bags by turning them inside out and wiping them down with a disinfecting agent after each use.

Under the law, plastic carryout bags will no longer be available from larger stores (more than 7,000 square feet) as well as smaller stores with at least three locations in Delaware of 3,000 square feet each or more. Supermarkets and big-box stores are affected, as well as chains of convenience stores. Restaurants are not subject to the ban, nor are small stores with one or two locations.

All retail stores affected by the law are required to provide an At-Store Recycling program for plastic bags and other specific plastics, like cereal box liners, newspaper sleeves, and single-use produce or meat bags. The drop-off locations should be visible and accessible within the store. Bags that are no longer reusable or unwanted should be recycled at these locations. Plastic bags should not be placed in carts that are part of the state’s curbside recycling program but should instead be returned to stores for recycling.

Consumers and retailers can find more information at de.gov/bags .

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances ensures Delaware’s wastes are managed to protect human life, health, safety and the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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