BY JESSICA PARKS
A group of southern Brooklyn
legislators are calling for
the indefi nite suspension of
the statewide ban on single-use
plastic bags — claiming that reusable
bags are more likely to
spread the novel coronavirus.
“Researchers have been
warning the public about the
health risks associated with reusable
bags for years, but their
cautions fell on deaf ears,” said
Councilman Chaim Deutsch,
whose district includes the areas
of Brighton Beach, Midwood,
and Sheepshead Bay.
“Now, as we as a state are
directly impacted by a fastspreading
virus, it’s fi nally
time to take this seriously.”
The ban was passed into law
last spring, but only went into
effect earlier this month. On
March 16, however, the state
Department of Environmental
Conservation announced that
the plastic bag ban — which
also imposes a 5-cent fee for
paper bags in New York City
— would not be enforced until
May 15, after it had been initially
postponed to April 1.
Three Borough Park lawmakers
COURIER LIFE,20 MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2020
— Councilman Kalman
Yeger, State Senator Simcha
Felder, and Assemblyman
Simcha Eichenstein — have
joined Deutsch in the push for
executive action by Governor
Andrew Cuomo, hoping that
the public will either return
to using disposable bags or frequently
wash reusable bags.
“Suggesting that New Yorkers
should reuse bags of any
kind is the height of irresponsibility,”
Yeger said. “During
this public health crisis, I
urge the Governor to use his
immense executive power to
indefi nitely suspend the ban
on plastic bags, and to permit
businesses to distribute unused
bags of any kind – plastic
or paper – to consumers, at no
cost to the consumer.”
This isn’t the fi rst time
these same lawmakers have
opposed the plastic bag ban,
however — as they opposed the
initial switch to reusable bags
prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,
citing concerns about
regulation, and the undue burden
they said it would infl ict on
shoppers.
On Wednesday, Yeger
tweeted an article about the
threat of infection surrounding
reusable bags.
“WORTH A READ — and
why I voted against the #bagban
& #bagtax,” he tweeted.
“This stupid policy is going to
kill people.”
Felder — who was absent
for the State Senate vote on
the ban — introduced legislation
back in 2017 to thwart the
City Council bill implementing
a 5-cent ban for plastic bags in
the fi ve boroughs. In an interview
with the New York Times,
he described the fee as an effort
to “shake shoppers down
every time they shop just for
the privilege of using a plastic
bag.”
Deutsch told Brooklyn Paper
he believes consumers should
have the choice to be environmentally
conscious instead of
BAG IT: A group of Brooklyn pols want to put the plastic bag ban on
pause during the coronavirus outbreak.. Photo by Kevin Duggan
imposing an increased cost on
“millions of hardworking New
Yorkers who can’t afford to indulge
this,” while Eichenstein
described the statewide plastic
bag ban as “misguided” and
“disastrous” in a statement.
Before the delays in its enforcement,
many New Yorkers
commended the measure
to curb down the state’s plastic
usage, including those at the
frontlines such as deli and bodega
owners.
“One step is better than no
step — even if it’s a small step,
I think we’re heading in the
right direction,” said Mused
Algamoos, who runs Skyline
Gourmet on the corner of Willoughby
and Lawrence streets.
“I think it’s good for the environment,
I’m all for it.”
Department of Environmental
Conservation Commissioner
Basil Seggos tweeted on
March 12 that the plastic bag
ban would not be suspended
and suggested washing reusable
bags as a regular practice
of good hygiene.
“Folks, if you are concerned
about the cleanliness of your
reusable bag, please consider
washing it — as you wash
clothes or hands,” he tweeted.
“It’s good hygiene anyway. New
Yorkers are pleased with the
bag ban and have no interest in
a return to polluting ways.”
BAG THE BAN
Pols call for suspension of new plastic bag ban