Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to ban plastic bags statewide in New York.
"While the federal government is taking our environmental progress backwards and selling out our communities to polluters and oil companies, in New York we are moving forward with the nation's strongest environmental policies and doing everything in our power to protect our natural resources for future generations," Cuomo said in a statement.
The official plan will be unveiled as part of the governor’s budget, which will be unveiled on Tuesday. The proposal also calls for an expansion of the bottle bill, making most non-alcoholic containers eligible for a 5-cent redemption.
"These bold actions to ban plastic bags and promote recycling will reduce litter in our communities, protect our water and create a cleaner and greener New York for all," Cuomo said.
Advocates say the moves will help the environment and will reduce waste.
“Thanks to Governor Cuomo's leadership, proposals to ban plastic bags and expand the bottle bill will bolster New York's ongoing efforts to improve recycling markets and reduce contamination in the waste stream," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said.
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