Suffolk County elected officials have taken under consideration a proposal that would force Smithtown retailers to stop supplying plastic Bags, and to charge consumers for paper Bags.
The proposal originated from Suffolk Leg. William Spencer, who cited years of studies that have documented the pollution resulting from plastic Bags and the choking threat they present to area wildlife. Moreover, the legislator contends, errant plastic Bags block sewers and drains, while also clogging up sewage treatment plants.
The bill would necessitate the charging of 10ยข for each paper bag provided to a customer by a retailer. The alternative and preferred option, according to Citizens Campaign for the Environment member Adrienne Esposito, is that consumers form the habit of using their own reusable Bags. A survey conducted by her organization found that over 80% of the 600 county residents polled supported the ban.
Consumers against banning the Bags point out that neither reusable nor paper Bags can prevent cross-contamination of bacteria. Without a plastic bag, a leaky package of raw chicken could spread salmonella. These, as well as other objections, will likely be raised at a planned series of public hearings.
People and organization on both sides of the issue are bound to call on a flyer printing service to provide them with an easy-to-dispense copy of their point of view in time for the first meeting on March 22.
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