GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

S	2 

SENATE BILL 359*
Environmental & Natural Resources Committee Substitute Adopted 4/6/89

Short Title:  Degradable Six-Pack Ring.	(Public)
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Sponsors:
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Referred to:  
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March 8, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THAT BEVERAGE CONTAINER YOKES BE DEGRADABLE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Article 52 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended to add a new section to read:
"§ 14-399.2.  Prohibition of nondegradable plastic beverage container yokes.
(a)	No person may sell, use, or distribute for sale in the State any beverage containers connected to each other by a yoke or ring type holding device carrier constructed of plastic that is not capable of decomposing into benign subunits by photodegradation, biodegradation, or chemical degradation within one year upon exposure to the elements.  Notice of degradability shall be embossed or otherwise indicated on the holding device.  This provision shall not prohibit the sale or distribution for sale of container yokes to any person outside the State.
(b)	Any person who sells, uses, or distributes beverage containers in violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200.00).  In lieu of a fine or any portion thereof, or in addition to a fine, any violation of this section may also be punished by a term of community service."
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective 1 January 1990.