Plastic 'nip' bottles, the single serving liquor bottles that can be found by the thousand in any package store and are a significant source of litter here, could be a thing of the past here if a resolution passed Thursday by the Warren Town Council gets traction at the State House.

The council voted 4-1 Thursday, with John Hanley opposed, to send a resolution to the General Assembly requesting that legislators ban the sale of nip containers by holders of Class A (liquor store) licenses. The resolution was brought to the table by councilor Joseph DePasquale.

"They're everywhere," he told fellow councilors. "I'm against them (but) only because of the way they're being used. It's the litter aspect and the fact that they're just so prevalent. Over the years, on Earth Day especially, we picked up 1,000 of them one year just from 1776 Liquors to the other side of the bridge."

Mr. DePasquale said he is realistic about the possibility that the bottles will be banned statewide. But he hopes that bringing it to legislators' attention will at least start discussions on the issue.

"Do I think this is really going to happen? No. But is it going to open up dialog? It already has."

Three of his four fellow councilors said they support the effort, but council vice president John Hanley cast the lone nay vote to send the matter to the state house.

"What about Dunkin Donuts cups? Burger King? McDonalds? Where are we going to draw the line on this?"

Mr. DePasquale acknowledged that Warren's litter problem extends well beyond discarded nips bottles, but reiterated that the resolution will hopefully start talk on litter in all its forms.

"When was the last time anyone even knows someone who's gotten a ticket for littering?" he asked. "We really need to start brining attention to littering. The sad reality is, I look and see these things everywhere."

"I agree with you," said councilor Steve Calenda, a retired police officer. "It's no secret that I patrolled these roads for 22 years. There was never an (anti-littering) campaign. I wonder if we should get the state to start a campaign. The little nip bottles are an issue but so are cigarette packs, soda cans (and) beer cans. I think maybe approaching it in that sense may be a little more successful than trying to ban a particular item."

The council's resolution will be forwarded to the General Assembly, as well as members of Warren's legislative delegation.