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Plastic Bag Ban to Take Effect Next March as Part of Final State Budget

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The familiar checkout question “paper or plastic?” will soon become “paper or reusable?” A ban on plastic grocery bags has been added to the finalized state budget. The ban, which would prohibit the use of most single-use plastics at the supermarket, has had a mixed reception.

Supporters of the ban believe it will reduce waste by encouraging shoppers to buy reusable bags at the store. Dereth Glance, the executive director of the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA), backs the measure.

“The position of OCRRA is that we want to see plastic bags banned and we wanted to see a fee on paper bags so we truly drive consumers to remember those reusable bags.”

Those opposed to the ban, like Mike Durant, the President of the Food Industry Alliance, believe that the added cost of using paper bags is not being considered by the state.

“When they take on an issue, particularly one that has to do with business, they look at it in a vacuum and one needs to consider that you are increasing costs on a business.”

It will be up to local municipalities to decide whether or not to impose a five cent fee on shoppers who choose paper at the checkout lane.  OCRRA would like to see the money generated from the fee be used to give reusable bags to lower income communities and be put into an environmental protection fund. The Food Industry Alliance would like to see an offset of the added business costs.  The ban will go into effect in March of 2020.

John Smith has been waking up WAER listeners for a long time as our Local Co-Host of Morning Edition with timely news and information, working alongside student Sportscasters from the Newhouse School.