The General Assembly finds that the management of solid waste can pose a wide range of hazards to public health and safety and to the environment; that packaging comprises a significant percentage of the overall solid waste stream; that the use of heavy metals in packaging is an aspect of the solid waste management problem because heavy metals are likely to be present in emissions or ash when packaging waste is incinerated or in leachate when packaging is landfilled; that lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium are, on the basis of available scientific and medical evidence, of particular concern; that it is desirable as a first step in reducing the toxicity of packaging waste to eliminate or reduce heavy metals in packaging and that it is the intent of sections 22a-255g to 22a-255m, inclusive, to eliminate or reduce toxicity in packaging without impeding or discouraging the expanded use of recycled materials in the production of packaging.