Over 100 Organizations Urge Gov. Cuomo to Support a Ban on Plastic Bags with a Fee on Alternative Bags

 

Ossining, N.Y. — Today, more than 100 organizations from across New York State sent a letter to Governor Cuomo urging him to support a ban on single-use plastic bags and a fee on alternative bags. The groups highlight that this “hybrid” legislation is the most effective policy to reduce single-use plastic bag pollution.

The groups were heartened to see the Governor assert his commitment to take a leadership role over this issue by introducing bag ban legislation. However, the Governor’s legislation cannot be supported by the groups as it is written. Given their experience with Bring Your Own Bag policies, a plastic bag ban only will have unintended adverse consequences and therefore, needs to be accompanied by a fee on other disposable bags. The organizations also urge that any new law retain effective local laws.

Considering lessons learned from residents, businesses, and municipalities around the state and country who have enacted Bring Your Own Bag policies, the groups wrote to urge the Governor to advance a policy that bans single-use plastic bags and places a fee on all other bags (both paper and reusable bags). An effective state policy should be modeled after municipalities that have successfully addressed this issue. A ban/fee hybrid is the most successful model of BYOBag policy in the United States.

Click here for the full announcement. 

Source: Environmental Advocates of New York