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Bystryn: There are only two acceptable recommendations: a fee on both plastic and paper bags or a hybrid model that bans plastic bags and institutes a fee on paper
Chair of New York’s Plastic Bag Task Force, State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos, issued the Task Force's (88 page) comprehensive report outlining eight potential solutions to address the scourge of plastic bag waste in the state. The report was sent to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature for consideration. In response, NYLCV President Marcia Bystryn, who was a member of the Task Force, issued the following statement:
As a member of the Plastic Bag Taskforce, I have consistently maintained there are only two acceptable recommendations: a fee on both plastic and paper bags or a hybrid model that bans plastic bags and institutes a fee on paper. It is the long-held position of the environmental community that a successful solution must include a fee component on all single-use bags. Improving recycling will not achieve this effect. The current recycling market is insufficient to handle even the paltry amount of film plastic that is currently recycled, let alone the full amount of film plastic we generate. We must instead focus on reducing the number of plastic bags produced. We know from countless examples around the world that when consumers take responsibility for their actions by bringing their own bag or paying a fee to cover their environmental impact, single-use bag consumption drops precipitously. I am disappointed the final report fails to convey this position. Therefore, I dissent from the Task Force's final report.
