Eagle Staff report
Madison County will not move forward on a proposed plastic carryout bag ban law until it sees what action New York State will take, the county stated in a press release issued Tuesday morning, Oct. 31. The county’s Solid Waste and Recycling Committee made the decision to wait at its October 26 meeting.
Although the committee members agreed with the revised proposed county law, any laws or regulations the state implements could preempt anything Madison County may adopt.
Jim Zecca, director of the Madison County Department of Solid Waste, attended a roundtable discussion of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Plastic Bag Task Force held Oct. 11 in Albany. He said the governor is pushing for a recommendation from the task force by the end of this year.
The county still must do a State Environmental Quality Review to move forward with the proposed law. However, committee members didn’t want to go through the expense of that process if there was a chance whatever the state does would negate the county’s law.
Although Madison County has curbside recycling and receptacles at the transfer stations for plastic film bags, the market for recycle bags has dropped dramatically and there is limited market for the material, the county release stated.
Representatives from Price Chopper and Tops Markets, who attended the Solid Waste and Recycling Committee meeting, said they agreed that more must be done to change shoppers’ habits to carry reusable bags. They said a cohesive, statewide policy on carryout plastic bags would make it easier for everyone – shoppers, retailers, and the county – to manage, according to the county release.
According to the proposed county legislation, nearly every type of store in Madison county would be prohibited from providing plastic carryout bags to customers, and may not prevent customers from using, or charge a fee for using, reusable bags. Restaurants and liquor stores would be exempt from the ban. The law also requires the county to provide free reusable bags to county residents as well as education on the benefits of using such bags. Law violators would face civil penalties of $250 for the first violation and $500 for each subsequent violation.
The county board of supervisors has held three public hearings on the proposed law — in May, June and July. According to the county board’s Solid Waste Committee, public sentiment for a county-wide ban on plastic grocery bags is currently running two-to-one in favor of the ban.
