Industry opposes pending ban on plastic shopping bags

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont is poised to implement what advocates call one of the most comprehensive bans in the country on single-use plastic bags and other measures designed to reduce plastic pollution, but the industry is calling on Gov. Phil Scott to veto the measure.

The bill, passed overwhelmingly by the Legislature, takes aim at the thin bags handed out at grocery stores, straws, and polystyrene food containers.

Scott, a Republican, has said he is inclined to sign the legislation but has not yet made up his mind.

Matt Seaholm, of the American Progressive Bag Alliance, which represents U.S. plastic bag manufacturers, tells Vermont Public Radio more energy is used to produce replacement paper or cloth bags. And the reuseable heavy-duty plastic bags that the Vermont bill allows are made in China and take more energy to produce and ship.

"There are better approaches than banning products. ... Unfortunately the Legislature was more interested in just getting a feel-good piece of legislation through, and that's what we have right now headed to the governor's desk," Seaholm said.

But Addison Sen. Chris Bray, a Democrat, a lead sponsor of the legislation and chair of the Natural Resources Committee, disagreed with Seaholm's characterizations.

"Our goal is not to send Americans to buy reuseable bags from overseas. I think that's patently inaccurate," Bray said. "There are many manufacturers of reusable bags in the United States."

Bray said a working group established by the legislation will look at other ways to prevent plastic from entering the environment.

The concern is that many forms of plastic are used just once for a few minutes and then thrown away. Since plastic does not biodegrade, it can last for hundreds of years in landfills or litter the...