CEO DATELINE - Plastics Industry Association blasts New York bag ban
CEO DATELINE - Plastics Industry Association blasts New York bag ban
- March 3, 2020 |
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Walt Williams
New York State will ban most single-use plastic bags starting in April—a move that the association representing plastics manufacturers said will result in lost jobs and confusion among customers.
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New York' Plastic Bag Waste Reduction Law bans retailers, convenience stores and other businesses from providing single-use plastic bags. The state law goes further than some other local government measures to reduce plastic ban pollution, with many cities instead charging a fee or every bag used.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the ban into law last year. It will take effect April 1. State officials are urging consumers to instead use reusable bags when they shop.
"You see plastic bags hanging in trees, blowing down the streets, in landfills and in our waterways, and there is no doubt they are doing tremendous damage," Cuomo said in a statement at the time. "Twelve million barrels of oil are used to make the plastic bags we use every year and by 2050 there will be more plastic by weight in the oceans than fish. We need to stop using plastic bags, and today we're putting an end to this blight on our environment."
However, in a statement Tuesday, Plastics Industry Association CEO Tony Radoszewski said that the reality is the ban "has some far-reaching consequences that were not considered when it was rushed through."
"In the long run, these types of bans cause unintended fallouts that oftentimes aren't seen until the laws go into effect," he said. "This includes loss of jobs, confusion amongst businesses and consumers, and much more."
The association has been targeted by environmentalists for its opposition to similar laws throughout the U.S., with at least four major companies ending their memberships in the group amid pressure from Greenpeace and other activist groups. In addition, many associations have launched campaigns in recent months to reform plastics recycling as activists and policymakers have ramped up calls to reduce plastics use.
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