Virginia law § 18.2-319 prohibits discarding or abandoning large airtight containers like iceboxes or refrigerators without removing doors to prevent entrapment hazards, punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor. Section 18.2-320 mandates warning labels on certain thin plastic bags used for clothing to prevent suffocation risks. These laws aim to enhance safety by regulating disposal practices and product warnings.
You must remove the door or hinges from any airtight icebox, refrigerator, or similar container with over two cubic feet of interior space before discarding or abandoning it to prevent entrapment hazards.
No, the law applies specifically to airtight containers like iceboxes and refrigerators with interior storage over two cubic feet, and not to those still in use or secured to prevent access.
Violating this law is punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor, which can include fines or other penalties as determined by the court.
Plastic bags intended to enclose clothing that are 25 inches or longer and less than one mil thick must display a warning about suffocation risks, advising to keep the bag away from children.