Pollution caused by plastic bags is a global problem, but the solution can start in Connecticut.
Plastic bags placed by wishful recyclers in the recycling stream can cause major issues [courant.com, Nov. 12, "Recycling costs are rising fast. This is why"].
We can do more to reduce the cost of recycling for consumers, the backlog of recyclable material and the stress on recycling operators. It not only should be the responsibility of recycling operators to dig plastic bags out of sorting machines but also should be all of our responsibility to be conscious of what we are throwing into our blue bins. Learning about what is recyclable and what isn't takes minutes and can save money, save the oceans from devastation and save animals from preventable deaths.
It's time to put up signs and talk to friends and relatives about what can and can't be recycled. It's time to invest in reusable shopping bags. It's time to call loudly for a practical, progressive and statewide ban on single-use plastic bags and to give our environment and our wallets a fighting chance.