Page 61 - Plastics News September 2018

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NJ Governor Murphy rejects EPA to toughen rules for making
5-cent fee on plastic bags ÀXRURFKHPLFDO

RYHUQRU 3KLO 0XUSK\ LV VHQGLQJ D ELOO WKDW VODSV D ÀYH alling it a "national
Gcent fee on plastic bags, back to state lawmakers. Cpriority," Environmental
Lawmakers approved the charge per bag at grocery stores, P r otection Agency
restaurants and big-box retailers. Murphy vetoed the bill, Administrator Scott Pruitt
saying it places the fee on only certain retailers, and does said that EPA will develop
not go far enough to address environmental concerns that tougher regulations around
he feels the bags cause. The Democrat is upset that too chemicals widely used in
many bags turn up on beaches and in sewers. Most of
the money collected, if the bill is approved, would go to making fluoropolymers
environmental programs. Several environmental groups, and other products. The
including the Sierra Club, Environment New Jersey, the chemicals, which also are
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Action, praised the impending veto, saying it would lead paper food packaging for their non-stick characteristics
WR DQ RXWULJKW EDQ :H FRXOGQ W JHW WR D EDQ ZLWK D IHH and process stability, have drawn widespread concern in
bill," said Amy Goldsmith, executive director of Clean recent years after turning up in drinking water supplies,
sometimes at levels linked to health risks. More than
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environmental groups gathered at the invitation-only
EPA forum, billed as a "National Leadership Summit"
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talk about how to proceed. "This should be and must
be a national priority, and we are going to be taking
concrete steps as an agency to address that, along
with you at the state and local level," Pruitt said. The
announcement of new policies, though, was partly
:DWHU $FWLRQ <RX ZRXOG VHH D UHGXFWLRQ DW ÀUVW EXW overshadowed by complaints from community groups
then the numbers would have gone up. But after a while, in various states not invited to the summit and by
who's going to remember the 5 cents? People will just start coverage of three reporters denied entry, including an
paying." Others, like New Jerset Audubon, the League of Associated Press journalist reportedly pushed out of the
Conservation Voters and the Association of New Jersey EXLOGLQJ (3$ RIÀFLDOV ODWHU DSRORJL]HG WR $3 DFFRUGLQJ
Environmental Commissions, were disappointed Murphy WR SUHVV UHSRUWV 3UXLWW DQG RWKHU DJHQF\ RIÀFLDOV VDLG
chose an outright veto. They would have preferred the EPA plans to develop a national management plan for
governor to close the loopholes in the fee bill through PFAS chemicals this year. Pruitt said EPA will also take
D FRQGLWLRQDO YHWR :LWK UHDVRQDEOH IL[HV WKH ELOO steps to declare PFAS and a related chemical, PFOA, as
would have prevented plastic waste from entering our hazardous substances under Superfund cleanup laws,
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president of government relations at New Jersey Audubon. and evaluate setting a maximum contaminant level for
Matt Seaholm, executive director of the plastic industry GULQNLQJ ZDWHU 6WDWH RIÀFLDOV SXVKHG IRU UHJXODWRU\
group the American Progressive Bag Alliance, said both changes that could directly impact the industry. The
fees and bans would "make groceries more expensive head of Ohio's EPA called on the federal EPA to make
for families." The 5-cent fee bill was passed hurriedly by companies give more information on how they use
the Legislature in June as lawmakers were scrambling to the chemicals. "Currently state regulators lack basic
ÀQG QHZ UHYHQXH VRXUFHV $PRQJ WKRVH VXSSRUWLQJ WKH information about the manufacture, use and purchase
bill was the New Jersey Food Council, a lobbying group of many PFAS, " Ohio EPA Director Craig Butler said.
representing supermarkets and other food retailers.

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