Wegmans is speaking out against a proposal by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to a ban plastic bags at stores across New York.
On Monday, the governor introduced a bill to prevent grocery and convenience stores and all other points of sale from offering single-use, film plastic bags — 23 billion of which are handed out statewide each year — with certain exceptions (including bags used for produce or for home-delivered newspapers).
"The blight of plastic bags takes a devastating toll on our streets, our water and our natural resources, and we need to take action to protect our environment," Cuomo said in a statement.
But in its own statement, Wegmans said: "It has long been Wegmans’ position that unintended consequences come from banning anything," adding that a statewide plastic-bag ban would "likely lead to an increase in the use of paper bags, which is not what’s best for the environment. Paper bags are heavier and take up more space; it takes seven tractor trailers to transport the same number of paper bags as plastic bags carried by one tractor trailer. It also takes about 90 percent more resources and energy to make and recycle paper compared to plastic."
Wegmans said it will continue to work to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags by reminding consumers to return their plastic bags to stores for recycling. "Our plastic bags are made from 40 percent recycled plastic that is returned to our stores by our own customers, and our recycling rate for plastic bags averaged close to 50 percent in 2017."
It went on to say that increasing the use of the reusable bags it sells in stores "is by far the best way" to reduce the use of plastic and paper bags. "However, it’s important to consider the additional resources it takes to manufacture reusable bags. If not used by consumers on a regular basis to replace paper or plastic bags, reusable bags are not better for the environment, and they are also not recyclable."
Environmental groups' reaction to Cuomo's new bill has been mixed. Some have pushed him to supplement a ban on plastic bags with a fee on paper bags to encourage people to use reusable bags.
Jeremy Cherson, advocacy coordinator for Riverkeeper, said the organization is "encouraged that Governor Cuomo is taking plastic bag pollution seriously."
"However, the evidence does not support a ban on plastic with no fee on paper bags," Cherson said in a statement. "The fee on paper is critical to reduce waste and foster a culture of reusable bags."
Plastic industry group American Progressive Bag Alliance criticized Cuomo's proposal, arguing it would lead to higher costs at stores, which would be passed along to consumers.
Wegmans declined to say what it pays for either kind of bag.
