White Plains, NY — As people around the globe observe Earth Day this weekend, Westchester County Legislators Kitley Covill and Nancy Barr are putting their environmental principles into action at home: They are proposing legislation to encourage the use of reusable bags and keep single-use plastic checkout bags out of the County’s streets, landfills and waterways.

“This is the first step toward a goal we all share -- to improve the environment by eliminating the plastic bags that pollute our waterways, clog our sewers, back up our storm drains, endanger our marine life and litter our streets,” said District 2 Legislator, Kitley S. Covill of Katonah.

“This legislation reflects an increasing awareness of how destructive, permanent and unnecessary single-use plastic bags actually are," said District 6 Legislator, Nancy Barr of Rye Brook. “While several municipalities around Westchester already have reusable bag legislation and several others are considering similar laws, it’s time for the County as a whole to join other counties like Suffolk in leading the State and the Nation towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for ourselves and for our children."

The newly proposed Reusable Bag Initiative looks to eliminate single-use plastic bags for retail checkout.  Stores and other sellers will be allowed to provide only heavier-duty reusable bags or bags made of recycled paper.  We are proposing a fee of no less than 10 cents for every bag provided by a seller as studies have shown that a fee encourages consumers to bring their own bags, and results in the reduction of waste. To ensure that the fee is not a burden on those who can’t afford it, SNAP and WIC recipients are exempted under the proposal.

Also exempted are certain kinds of bags – such as dry cleaner garment covers, thin produce bags and larger bags of the sort used for garbage liners, as well as paper bags used by pharmacies for prescriptions.

The legislation additionally takes aim at polystyrene foam packing materials, banning their use in food packing and other kinds of items packed in the County.

“The introduction of this measure is the first step in the legislative process,” said Covill. “The various committees at the Board of Legislators will be listening to everyone – store owners, consumers, environmental scientists and others – as we work together to shape a law that is not an undue burden on anyone, but one that will make the Westchester we leave for our children better, cleaner and more sustainable.”

In a statement, the environmental group the Bedford 2020 Coalition, said, "Bedford 2020 applauds the efforts of Legislators Kitley Covill and Nancy Barr to reduce the environmental impact of disposable bags and polystyrene in Westchester County. Disposable shopping bags are a major source of waste and pollution. Plastic bags contaminate our soil and water and have had a devastating impact on wildlife. Production of paper bags requires large amounts of water, energy and chemicals and can emit toxic and hazardous chemicals into our air and water. We are proud to see Westchester County taking a leadership role in reducing bag waste and addressing the impact these materials are having on our natural resources."

Jeremy Cherson, Advocacy Coordinator for Riverkeeper, said, "Each year, nearly 23 billion single-use plastic bags are used across New York State. Research by Riverkeeper and Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory found microplastic particles prevalent in waters across the New York metro area, including Westchester County. Initial evidence from the first year after California's ban went into effect, shows a nearly 7 percent reduction in plastic bags found on beaches statewide. We know that policies addressing plastic and polystyrene pollution reduce litter. Riverkeeper looks forward to engaging in the process to ensure the law leads to less plastic and polystyrene in our waters."

In a statement, Mayor Tom Roach of White Plains said, “While I recognize that today's announcement is just the first step in a process, I am grateful to the County Legislators who have taken the initiative to move this important issue forward.  I believe legislation that would cover the entire county would be more effective and more easily understood and complied with by both consumers and retailers than a hodgepodge of local regulations.”