Ecorazzi

“Americans use over 84 billion plastic bags annually, about one billion of them in New York City. This is an important step toward building a comprehensive solid waste management regime, and on behalf of all of us in New York City, I thank you for your understanding of the severity of the problem and your cooperation in finding a solution.”

– Bette Midler, founder of the New York Restoration Project, commending Governor Patterson for recognizing the need for New York City to have a more stringent program for recycling plastic bags. Starting January 1st, large retail spaces and chains must provide bins for the collection of used plastic carryout bags, recycle the returned bags and keep records for three years describing the amount of plastic bags collected and recycled.

Photo credit: PR Photos