Lobbyist weighs in on plastic-bag ban

Plastic supermarket bags are now banned in East Hampton Village, a measure that had the support of environmentalists — but drew criticism from a lobbyist for Long Island's plastic bag industry, according to a newspaper report.

The village board last week voted to pass the local law, after hearing “considerable comment from people on both sides of the debate,“ The East Hampton Star reports.

The ban would apply to a Waldbaum’s supermarket, the only large food store in the village, the paper said.

One comment came from a lobbyist in support of the Island's plastic bag-making companies. “Stephen Rosario, from the American Chemistry Council . . . cautioned against dehumanizing the industry. 'These are people who work, ordinary people,' he said, referring to the nine plastic bag companies on Long Island that employ hundreds of workers.“

Southampton enacted a similar ban in April.

Photo: Plastic shopping bags on a checkout counter at a Stop & Shop. (April 4, 2008)

-------------------
Read more of Inside Long Island Business