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Advocates urge DEC to enforce plastic bag ban

May 28, 2020 12:45 pm
Sarah Trafton is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media environmental watchdog groups in New York are requesting the state enforce its ban on single-use plastic bags as the state economy reopens. The ban went into effect March 1, but has been on hold until June 15 due to a lawsuit. In a letter to DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos, 122 organizations urged that enforcement be resumed and that the DEC take steps to inform supermarkets to stop prohibiting customers from using reusable bags and to restore the 5-cent surcharge for plastic and paper bags. “DEC continues to encourage New Yorkers to transition to reusable bags whenever and wherever they shop and to use common-sense precautions to keep their reusable bags clean,” the DEC said in a recent statement. “...Retailers across the state are complying. We have consistently said since the beginning of our outreach campaign that we will focus on education rather than enforcement.” Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator and President of Beyond Plastics, is calling on the DEC to take a more active role. She lauded Seggos and his staff for their work on COVID-19-related issues, but said it is now time for the DEC to enforce existing environmental laws. Hannaford Supermarkets is one of the chains that brought back plastic bags and suspended the 5-cent bag charge for plastic and paper, spokesman Eric Bloom said. The company requires shoppers who bring reusable bags to pack their own groceries. Price Chopper brought back plastic bags in late March, Vice President Mona Golub said. Tops Markets also brought back plastic, citing sanitation concerns with reusable bags. Tops is not charging for plastic bags, but it is for paper. “[The misinformation] is unfortunate because there is no medical evidence linking coronavirus to reusable bags,” Enck said. “I recommend people wash their bags with hot water and soap and pack their own groceries to reduce any concerns..” Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.
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