The New York City Council is introducing a bill that would impose a 10 cent fee on plastic and paper bags used at grocery stores.
The measure is intended to spur shoppers to bring their own reusable bags. The fee is not a tax and would benefit store owners.
New York City residents use 1 billion disposable plastic bags a year. It costs the city $10 million annually to ship used bags to landfills.
Similar measures are in place in Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
A vote is expected in the next few weeks. A similar measure failed last year.
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday called plastic bags “a problem” but stopped short of endorsing the bill.
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito says she needs to review it.
(AP)
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3 Responses
In part of UK (i.e. Wales)it has been a law several years already with the money going to charity. A lot of money has been raised that way. Perhaps a good idea for a yeshiva to arrange it with some shopkeepers!
I bring cloth bags when I go shopping.
It will ultimately lower costs for the store, having to spend less on bags. Hopefully they will pass it on to the consumer.
On behalf of the frum community I want to say thank you brad lander for trying to push this through. Paying yeshiva tuition and making pesach wasn’t expensive enough. This is just what we need.