Mayor Bill de Blasio has signed an executive order that prevents agencies in New York City from buying single-use plastics.
“Big Oil has been pushing single use plastics for too long – and it stops here,” de Blasio said.
New York City had been purchasing more than one million pounds of single-use plastic foodware annually. That includes things like plastic straws, plates, bowels and cups.
“They litter our beaches and parks, jam our recycling machines, and contribute to climate change. Our actions today will help us build a fairer city for all New Yorkers,” de Blasio said.
The move is expected to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 500 tons per year.
The mayor said the next step is to ban single-use plastics in private establishments. He promised to work with the City Council on legislation to get it done by the end of the year.
“We have to ask ourselves, are we going to prioritize plastics or our planet? The scale of this crisis demands urgent, radical government action. Otherwise, we will soon live in a world where there is more plastic in our oceans than fish,” Councilman Rafael Espinal said.
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