Possible ban of plastic retail bags in the works
Sullivan County is considering a prohibition on retailers using single-use plastic bags for customers’ purchases.
The move comes in the wake of the Ulster County Legislature approving such a ban on Sept. 20. That legislation is awaiting final action by County Executive Michael Hein.
At a Tuesday meeting of the Sullivan County Legislature’s Parks, Agriculture and Sustainability Policy Committee, County Manager Joshua Potosek said the county sent several months ago a letter of support to the state Senate and Assembly, which were considering statewide restrictions.
“It failed to get enacted [at the state level], so we’re back here to talk to you about does the Legislature want us research options and come back with some recommendations,” Potosek said.
Potosek said the first step would be to bring local retailers into the loop.
“Have to talk to ... grocery stores [about] how it impacts them; have a dialogue with them about how this would affect their businesses,” he said.
Potosek said Sullivan County officials will look at the Ulster County model, and others, and also whether single-use plastic straws should be part of any Sullivan law. He hopes to have a recommendation for the Legislature to consider perhaps by the end of the year.
The Ulster County plastic bag legislation, call the Bring Your Own Bag Act, would bar retailers from using plastic bags for customers’ purchases and would require stores to charge 5 cents for each recyclable paper bag provided to customers who don’t bring their own reusable bags. Stores that violate the law would be fined.
Restaurants located outside of grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores or food marts would be exempt from the Ulster County law, as would pharmacies, which are governed by state law, and dry cleaners.
If enacted, the Ulster law would take effect on July 15, 2019.
Ulster County lawmakers separately are considering legislation under which to eateries throughout the county would have to ask customers whether they want plastic straws for their drinks, rather than automatically providing them.