BYO Norwalk

 

• 100 billion plastic bags a year are used in the US, which requires 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture. The Hartford Courant estimates that Connecticut uses 1 billion plastic bags each year. 
   

• 12 minutes: the average time a plastic bag is used. 
   

• The City of Norwalk no longer accepts plastic bags or plastic film in blue bins for recycling. 
   

• When it rains, storm sewers, sewer overflows, and drainage outflows transport litter to rivers, which eventually carry the plastic into waterways such as Long Island Sound.  
   

• 100,000 plastic bags end up in the Long Island Sound every year.  
   

• Plastic bags essentially last forever. They don’t biodegrade; instead, they photo-degrade, breaking down into tiny pieces (microplastics) that absorb toxins and continue to pollute the environment. 
   

• Plastic pollution is hazardous in the marine environment posing both physical and chemical threats to our ecosystem. Microplastics from disintegrating plastic bags are ingested by all types of fish.  According to Scientific American, these toxic microplastics bioaccumulate up the food chain to humans.  
   

• Plastic in our food - 90% of all table salt has been found to contain microplastics. Click here for more details.

 

To read more about the impact of single-use plastic checkout bags on our environment, health, and economy click here.

 

WHAT CAN I DO? 
 

• Use reusable bags everywhere you shop – from the grocery store to the pharmacy, to the farmers’ market. Everywhere. 
   

• Donate reusable bags for those in need.

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• Clean your bags.  Click here for more information.

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WHAT CAN MY BUSINESS DO? 
 

• Do you need a bag? Ask your customers before bagging their purchase.
   

• Offer reusable shopping bags for sale at checkout.
   

• Offer a discount for customers who bring their own bags.

 

• Click here to read the ordinance or to download materials to display in your business.