LETTER: Plastic bag ban isn’t the answer to pollution problem

To the editor:

By now, most have heard the news about Gov. Cuomo’s proposed bill to ban the use of single-use plastic bags from our supermarkets and retail stores. His ban comes on the heels of mounting criticism from his gubernatorial opponents in the Democratic and Green parties, citing a weak record on environmental issues. Pollution is a blight on any community, but I believe, through education and incentivization, members of the community must come together to combat this blight and to make a real, sustainable difference.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, there are 69 manufacturing plants producing plastics in New York, more than half of which focus on potentially banned plastic bags and pouches. These plants provide sustainable employment to nearly 4,000 New Yorkers, leading to just over $160 million in payroll income annually. A ban on plastic bags would drastically cut demand for these plastics, leading to a significant loss in the $1 billion industry these plants bring to New York state. State unemployment currently sits at 4.6 percent, the lowest it has been since January of 2007. Rather than impose a ban and lose these jobs, we ought to take lessons from the community at large and reduce consumption of plastic bags through education and incentivized recycling.

Wegmans has made strides towards reducing plastic waste and pollution in recent years. Nationally, only 5 percent of plastic bags are effectively recycled. At Wegmans, that number is closer to 50 percent. “Our plastic bags are made from 40 percent recycled plastic that is returned to our stores by our own customers,” said Wegmans in a statement on April 25.

Wegmans has shown that the New York consumer is intelligent and, when properly educated, motivated to take good care of his or her community. Wegmans has had a great impact on plastic bag usage and waste through in-store education and promotion of recycling. With continued education and incentives to recycle, public buy-in can increase recycling and sustainably reduce plastic bag consumption in New York.

Central New Yorkers have shown that they are intelligent and care about their communities. By rewarding recycling and the use of reusable bags, New Yorkers will become more responsible users of plastics and ambassadors for the remaining 68 percent of Americans who do not have plastic bag legislation in their states.

Plastic bags are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our nation-wide pollution issue. Despite nearly 10 years of plastic bag legislation, Los Angeles County alone collects over 200 tons of pollution in storm water trash nets annually. Without understanding and education, it is difficult to expect to see an end to pollution in our communities. Through the efforts of companies like Wegmans, Central New Yorkers know about the importance of recycling. Now is not the time to blanket ban plastic bags; rather, it is time to sustainably reduce pollution through increased recycling and incentivization on individual and corporate levels.