The state was quick to ban plastic grocery bags when in fact they never created a litter problem in Connecticut. The quick ban was pushed by the grocery stores wanting to increase their bottom line in revenue by not having to provide the bags. Nip bottles have always been a much bigger litter problem, but the liquor store lobbyists have prevented a total ban on the sale of nips and instead agreed to putting a $.05 tax on the bottles.

Over the past year Norwich has shown the largest sale of nips of all the surrounding towns, and thus has the largest litter problem with nips. Montville has recently suggested that the town use the revenue from the tax on nips to give civic organizations $500 per garbage bag of nips they collect off of the sides of the roads in that town. (“Montville uses fund to ‘nip’ litter,” March 18.)

Norwich, which received over $100,900 this past year, has used its money to pay a desk jockey over $80,000 a year as its Recycling Coordinator, which has not reduced the amount of litter on the sides of its roads. The Norwich City Council should follow the lead of Montville in its effort to reduce litter on the side of its roads.

Scott Harrington

Norwich