BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – A local state lawmaker wants to clean up the environment by further eliminating single-use plastics statewide.
Assemblyman Patrick Burke is introducing a bill with the goal of transitioning away from single-use plastics.
In March 2020, the plastic bag ban went into effect statewide. The ban prohibited establishments like grocery stores and restaurants from offering plastic bags.
Burke's bill would first impact colleges by requiring them to establish a task force for the purpose of restricting and eliminating single-use plastics on campus. The task force would include students, faculty, and administration.
Once formed, the task force would create a "single-use plastic elimination plan" to be submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation within 18 months.
The plan for colleges would be to end several plastic materials including utensils, straws and stirrers, cups, plates, bowls, trays, sauce dishes, lids, to-go containers, and other common plastics. Individually wrapped plastics like toothpick, oyster crackers, and other items would also end.
Polystyrene food service products would also be eliminated.
The bill acknowledges that some plastic materials cannot be phased out immediately. These include pre-packaged chips, granola bar wrappers, candy bar wrappers, water and pop bottles, and toiletries.
Burke said creating a statewide ban on one specific item, like plastic bags, jammed local businesses and consumers.
Assemblyman Burke bill on plastics by Mike Baggerman on Scribd
"If we're going to schedule it and people understand what's being removed and why and put it on a schedule and give them reasonable expectations, it's been my experience that most people and businesses are pretty reasonable," Burke said earlier this month. "They just don't like getting left hooks and being caught off guard. I also think there's a certain amount of ban fatigue as well."
Burke's comments this month came on the heels of a cleanup effort at Seneca Bluffs Natural Habitat Park.
Albany lawmakers will adjourn session on June 10. Burke said he does not expect the bill to pass this year but wants to begin a discussion on the matter.
"There's a responsibility factor, I think, from the government," he said. "You can't just trash the things you need. You have to take care of them. If you're going to produce single-use plastics, you have to define it. We have to define a couple of other things like de-compostable. People use the word but it doesn't necessarily mean anything."
We asked Burke if the plan is for the state to eventually eliminate the ability to go into a store and buy something like a water bottle. He said there isn't an immediate plan to do this but said they are looking for input.
"The argument about convenience is why we have so many single-use plastics in the first place and why it's such a problem," he said. "It's not convenient for a bunch of people to be digging in the water and the ground so that someone can conveniently have throwaway plastics."
While many single-use plastics would end at college campuses, the bill also takes into consideration the need to keep them in some capacity. The bill said plastic straws are necessary for some people with physical disabilities.
New York City's Council last Wednesday passed a bill that would limit plastic straw use in restaurants.
