§ 6691. Definitions
As used in this subchapter:
(1) “Agency” means the Agency of Natural Resources.
(2) “Carryout bag” means a bag provided by a store or food service establishment to a
customer at the point of sale for the purpose of transporting groceries or retail
goods, except that a “carryout bag” shall not mean:
(A) a bag made of paper when the paper has a basis weight of 30 pounds or less;
(B) a bag provided by a pharmacy to a customer purchasing a prescription medication;
(C) a bag used by customers inside a store to:
(i) package loose items, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, grains, bakery goods,
candy, greeting cards, or small hardware items;
(ii) contain or wrap frozen foods, meat, or fish; or
(iii) contain or wrap flowers;
(D) a laundry, dry cleaning, or garment bag, including bags provided by a store to protect
large garments, such as suits, jackets, or dresses.
(3) “Expanded polystyrene” means blown polystyrene and expanded and extruded foams that
are thermoplastic petrochemical materials utilizing a styrene monomer and processed
by a number of techniques, including: fusion of polymer spheres, known as expandable
bead 20 polystyrene; injection molding; foam molding; and extrusion-blow molding,
also known as extruded foam polystyrene.
(4)(A) “Expanded polystyrene food service product” means a product made of expanded polystyrene
that is:
(i) used for selling or providing food or beverages to be used once for eating or drinking;
or
(ii) generally recognized by the public as an item to be discarded after one use.
(B) “Expanded polystyrene food service product” shall include:
(i) food containers;
(ii) plates;
(iii) hot and cold beverage cups;
(iv) trays; and
(v) cartons for eggs or other food.
(C) “Expanded polystyrene food service product” shall not include:
(i) food or beverages that have been packaged in expanded polystyrene outside the State
before receipt by a food service establishment or store;
(ii) a product made of expanded polystyrene that is used to package raw, uncooked, or butchered
meat, fish, poultry, or seafood; or
(iii) nonfoam polystyrene food service products.
(5) “Food service establishment” has the same meaning as in 18 V.S.A. § 4301.
(6) “Plastic” means a synthetic material made from linking monomers through a chemical
reaction to create a polymer chain that can be molded or extruded at high heat into
various solid forms that retain their defined shapes during their life cycle and after
disposal, including material derived from either petroleum or a biologically based
polymer, such as corn or other plant sources.
(7) “Point of sale” means a check-out stand, cash register, or other point of departure
from a store or food service establishment, including the location where remotely
ordered food or products are delivered to a purchaser.
(8) “Recyclable paper carryout bag” means a carryout bag that is made of paper and that
is recyclable.
(9) “Reusable carryout bag” means a carryout bag that is designed and manufactured for
multiple uses and is:
(A) made of cloth or other machine-washable fabric that has stitched handles; or
(B) a polypropylene bag that has stitched handles.
(10) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Natural Resources.
(11) “Single-use plastic carryout bag” means a carryout bag that is:
(A) made of plastic;
(B) a single-use product; and
(C) not a reusable carryout bag.
(12) “Single-use plastic stirrer” means a device that is:
(A) used to mix beverages;
(B) made predominantly of plastic; and
(C) a single-use product.
(13) “Single-use plastic straw” means a tube made of plastic that is:
(A) used to transfer liquid from a container to the mouth of a person drinking the liquid;
and
(B) is a single-use product.
(14) “Single-use product” or “single use” means a product that is generally recognized
by the public as an item to be discarded after one use.
(15) “Store” means a grocery store, supermarket, convenience store, liquor store, drycleaner,
pharmacy, drug store, or other retail establishment that provides carryout bags to
its customers. (Added 2019, No. 69, § 2, eff. July 1, 2020.)