Previous | Next

65-3425. Plastic bottles and containers; labeling requirements; violations; penalties. (a) As used in this section:

(1) "Code" means a molded, imprinted or raised symbol.

(2) "Person" means any individual, association, partnership, limited partnership, corporation or other entity.

(3) "Plastic" means any material made of polymeric organic compounds and additives that can be shaped by flow.

(4) "Plastic bottle" means a plastic container which: (A) Has a neck that is smaller than the body of the container; (B) accepts a screw-type, snap-cap or other closure; and (C) has a capacity of 16 fluid ounces or more but less than five gallons.

(5) "Rigid plastic container" means any formed or molded container other than a bottle, intended for single use, composed predominantly of plastic resin and having a relatively inflexible finite shape or form with a capacity of eight ounces or more but less than five gallons.

(b) No person shall distribute, sell or offer for sale in this state any plastic bottle or rigid plastic container, unless it is labeled with a nationally recognized code indicating the plastic resin used to produce the bottle or container. The nationally recognized code shall appear on or near the bottom of the bottle or container.

(c) If the attorney general or county or district attorney has reason to believe that a person is violating the provisions of this section, the attorney general or county or district attorney shall give the person written notice thereof. If, after such notice is given, the attorney general or county or district attorney has reason to believe that the person is continuing to violate the provisions of this section, the attorney general or county or district attorney may bring an action to enjoin the violation and to recover a civil penalty of $50 for each violation but not exceeding a total of $500. Any such penalty recovered by the attorney general shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the state general fund. Any such penalty recovered by the county or district attorney shall be deposited in the general fund of the county in which the violation occurred.

History: L. 1993, ch. 57, § 1; L. 2014, ch. 112, § 1; July 1.