§ 11-9-16 - Plastic bags – Labeling. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 11-9-16

   § 11-9-16  Plastic bags – Labeling.– (a) "Plastic bag" means a polyethylene bag, other than one used for foodproducts weighing not more than five (5) pounds, intended for household use orfor packaging articles intended for household use, which is larger than fiveinches (5") in diameter at the opened end, and is made of thin film less thanone mil (0.001 inch) in thickness (according to standards established under thecommodity standards division of the United States Department of Commerce).

   (b) No person shall package, deliver or sell any article foruse in or around the household in a plastic bag, or shall sell or distributeany plastic bag for use in or around the household, unless the bag bears awarning against the hazard of suffocation by children in the following orsubstantially equivalent wording:

   "Keep from children – may cause suffocation"

   "WARNING: Keep this bag away from babies and children. Do notuse in cribs, beds, carriages, or playpens. The thin film may cling to nose andmouth and prevent breathing."

   (c) The warning shall be printed on, attached to, oraccompany each bag; provided, that it shall be permissible to print the warningon the outside wrapper of packages of bags intended only for home processinguse, such as freezer bags and garbage disposal bags, in lieu of on eachindividual bag. The warning shall be conspicuously displayed in bold face type,in accordance with the following table:

   Total of the length and width of the bag, combined Font Size

   60 inches or more 24 points

   40 inches, but less than 60 inches 18 points

   30 inches, but less than 40 inches.14 points

   Less than 30 inches 10 points

   (d) Any person who shall violate the provisions of thissection shall upon conviction be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100).