State Senator Kevin Parker Ensures Constituents In Central Brooklyn Have Access To Free Reusable Bags

(Brooklyn, NY) Starting March 1st, 2020 New York State’s Plastic Bag Ban has officially gone into effect and State Senator Kevin Parker has partnered with the Department of Sanitation to ensure constituents in his district and surrounding areas have access to FREE reusable bags. The new law will prohibit the distribution of plastic carryout bags by certain retailers in New York State. 

Senator Parker’s reusable bag initiative launched on Sunday, March 1st , at the Brooklyn Public Library and will continue over the year as constituents are welcome to pick up bags from his district office. 

“This is the start of our commitment as a community, to give back to our planet and make sure our environment is taken care of the way a good steward should. Using reusable bags not only saves money, but additionally reduces the amount of waste in landfills and helps keep plastic bags out of the environment  ”,  said Senator Parker. 

New York State has been at the forefront of fighting for our environment. A colossal issue that is faced by many New Yorkers is the threat posed by single-use plastics. In addition, the fact that these products in most cases cannot be recycled means that they will pollute our lands and water, negatively affect marine life, and contribute to the growing issue of micro-plastics. 

Almost half of all plastics ever produced have been made in the last fifteen years. Moreover, about 8 million tons of plastic waste ends up in the ocean. Hence, why it was important for the State  to make this step to ban the distribution of these single-use plastic products, because they put our environmental future at risk and are not sustainable.

###