Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-19.18-3. Prohibition on single-use plastic bag distribution

(a) Retail sales establishments are prohibited from making available any bag that is not a reusable bag or recyclable paper bag, as defined by this chapter.  Recyclable cardboard boxes, as defined in this chapter, may also be made available.  This prohibition precludes providing any single-use plastic checkout bag or any paper checkout bag that is not a recyclable paper bag or a paper carryout bag at restaurants.

(b) Retail sales establishments and other entities that make deliveries of goods from retail sales establishments to customers are prohibited from delivering goods to customers in single-use plastic checkout bags and may deliver goods in recyclable paper bags, reusable bags, or recyclable cardboard boxes as defined by this chapter.

(c) To further promote the use of reusable shopping bags and reduce the quantity of single-use carryout bags entering the waste stream, retailers are authorized and encouraged to make reusable carryout bags available to the public, assisting financially impacted households to the greatest degree possible.