Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-18.11-3.1. Recycling containers for plastic bags

Every retail establishment that sells or conveys goods or food directly to the ultimate consumer within the state, shall provide within the retail establishment, at a location convenient for its customers, receptacles in which customers may place any used clean and dry plastic film bags for recycling as defined in § 23-18.11-2, which includes, but shall not be limited to plastic film grocery sacks, plastic film shopping bags, dry cleaner film, fresh produce bags, and newspaper sleeves;  provided that this provision shall apply only to those retail establishments where the aggregate conveyance of goods or food is in excess of eight million dollars ($8,000,000) annually at locations within Rhode Island, or where the retail establishment has over ten thousand (10,000 sq. ft.) square feet of retail or wholesale space at one location within Rhode Island.  The retail establishment, at its own expense, shall be responsible for the cost, maintenance, and emptying of these receptacles and the delivery of the bags collected to a suitable recycling facility, or to an intermediary company or vendor whose business includes the recycling of plastics.  Every retail establishment shall maintain records indicating where the plastic bags that are collected by such retail establishments are transported for recycling and report such information to the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation no later than January 31, 2009 and no later than every January 31 thereafter.