HB 6502 Summary

• School districts and higher education institutions must develop plans by July 1, 2022 to discontinue use of expanded polystyrene food trays, with implementation required by July 1, 2023.

• Restaurants and caterers are prohibited from providing expanded polystyrene single-use food containers to consumers starting July 1, 2023, with fines ranging from $200 to $1,000 for violations.

• Full-service restaurants may not provide single-use plastic straws to consumers unless requested, effective January 1, 2022, with warnings for first two violations and fines up to $300 annually for subsequent violations.

• Prohibition on releasing 10 or more helium or lighter-than-air balloons into the atmosphere becomes an infraction, effective October 1, 2021.

• Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering must conduct a study on compostable single-use produce bags by January 15, 2022, with results and recommendations submitted to the legislature by February 1, 2022.