Just Green Partnership Applauds Passage of Senate Earth Day Bill
Sweeping Legislation Reduces Single-Use Plastic Waste in NY Hotels
ALBANY – Leaders of New York’s Environmental Justice community today hailed passage of a series of legislative bills by the State Senate aimed at reducing single-use plastic containers by the hotel and hospitality industry, calling on Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to quickly sign the bill into law and help eliminate plastic waste in the Empire State.
“Small personal care product bottles offered at hotels are wasteful, get discarded even if partially used, and produce tons of plastic waste that overwhelm our landfills and pollute our waterways,” said Bobbi Wilding, Executive Director of Clean and Healthy New York and co-chair of the Just Green Partnership, a statewide coalition of 50 environmental groups. “Our coalition applauds the State Senate for their important work to join the State of California in eliminating single-use plastics from our environment and society.” Wilding added "the Senate action today is a significant victory in eliminating plastic pollution and single-use waste from the planet. We call on Governor Cuomo to sign legislation into law now, so that In future generations, historians and scholars will reflect kindly on this moment when New York moved to significantly reduce garbage and waste.”
The Senate bill passed 47-15 Monday and mirrors the Assembly’s waste-reducing legislation that passed the lower chamber last week. Environmental justice groups lauded the bill, commenting the legislation once signed into law will help eliminate plastic waste.
“We are excited that one of our priority bills by the Just Green Partnership passed the State Senate today,” said Sonal Jessel, co-chair of the Just Green Partnership and Director of Policy at the Harlem-based WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “Hotel mini-bottles create tons of unnecessary, mostly plastic trash that litters our waterways and contains chemicals that harm our health. This is a great step in reducing New York Sate’s waste that will make a great difference for the environment.”
“Small actions, such as eliminating disposable toiletry bottles in hotels, can make a big difference in protecting our environment,” said Senator Todd Kaminsky, Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “By barring hotels from giving single-use plastic toiletries to customers, we are safeguarding our planet, reducing plastic waste and preventing waterway pollution. I was proud to work with Assemblyman Englebright to do just that, and am confident that this measure will help markedly mitigate our plastics crisis — before it is too late.”
The Chairman of the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee applauded the Senate’s action, noting that humankind is dependent on a clean and healthy environment.
“We and all living things are linked to our environment,” said Assemblymember Steven Englebright. “Every day we depend on Earth’s abundance to keep us healthy. Clean air, clean water and a healthful environment are necessary for our survival. The bills we passed today will reduce the proliferation of plastic, reduce harmful air pollution from our communities and protect our water from pollution.”
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