Connecticut banned single-use plastic checkout bags statewide in 2021 after a 10-cent fee phase-in beginning August 2019. Bridgeport retailers cannot distribute thin-film plastic carryout bags; reusable bags and paper alternatives remain permitted.
Public Act 19-117 imposed a 10-cent fee on single-use plastic bags effective August 1, 2019, with a complete ban on plastic checkout bags effective July 1, 2021, codified within Connecticut Title 12. Bridgeport retailers must offer reusable bags, paper bags, or no bag rather than thin-film plastic. Exemptions exist for product bags used to wrap loose meat, produce, bulk goods, or to contain prescriptions, dry cleaning, or live fish. Some municipalities, though not Bridgeport specifically, have layered additional fees on paper bags. Retailers who continue to distribute prohibited plastic bags face civil penalties enforced by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
Distributing single-use plastic checkout bags, mislabeling reusable bags, or failing to maintain compliance can result in DEEP enforcement actions and civil penalties under state law.
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See how Bridgeport's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
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