Environmental groups on Tuesday cheered Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed ban on styrofoam products like takeaway containers used by restaurants.
But the restaurants industry is cautiously watching how the debate over the ban will unfold.
“While we encourage sensible measures that are good for our environment, we must also be mindful of placing additional burdens on restaurants that already struggle to navigate all the government red tape associated with hundreds of regulations,” said Melissa Fleischut, the president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association.
“As we await the details, we’ll advocate for a hardship provision that protects restaurants from dramatic price increases that would negatively affect the feasibility of their operations – as some localities have already chosen to do.”
The ban would also impact materials like packing peanuts.
Single-use plastics have come under aim for bans in Albany due to their impact on the environment and the effect their production has in contributing to climate change.
A single-use plastic bag ban is taking effect in March, though environmental groups are concerned the regulations proposed by state environmental officials will offer too many loopholes.
Read more from the NY State of Politics blog
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