Good morning. It’s Tuesday. Today we’ll learn more out about a bill that could reduce New York State’s use of plastic packaging by a whopping 50 percent. We’ll also look at why a New Jersey town decided to declare a state of emergency in the middle of the holiday weekend, and we’ll meet a legal team that is suing Elon Musk.
As the scheduled end of New York State’s legislative session quickly approaches on June 6, voting on a number of bills is coming down to the wire. Among those is a bill that would require companies to incorporate a “packaging reduction and recycling plan,” which could drastically reduce the number of packages wrapped in layers of plastic.
While many single-use plastic products may seem recyclable, they often are not because of the chemicals of which they are made. The flimsy thin plastic that makes up potato chip pouches, food delivery bags and juice squeezes makes them more difficult to collect and sort.
The bill would require companies that use single-use plastic packaging to find sustainable alternatives or pay a yet-to-be-determined fee, which would go toward covering the costs of municipalities’ recycling and waste disposal. New York City, officials said, could reap as much as $150 million in costs.
According to a City Hall spokeswoman, the legislation could reduce landfill waste by six million pounds a day and would also save taxpayers money. The bill has widespread support.
But powerful fossil fuel companies, chemical producers and large manufacturers of food and drink packaging are staunchly opposed to the measure and argue that it could cause, among other things, packaged food prices to increase.
With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, amendments are being considered on both sides, including lowering the goal of reducing plastic packaging by 50 percent over 12 years. This bill failed to pass last year after strong industry opposition. Both houses’ environmental conservation committees passed the measure in February.
The Assembly and Senate in Albany must vote on the bill before the legislative session ends. Should both chambers pass the measure, Gov. Kathy Hochul would have to decide whether to sign it into law by year’s end.
Weather
Enjoy a sunny day in the low 80s. At night it’s mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to the low 60s.
ALTERNATE-SIDE PARKING
In effect until June 12 (Shavuot).
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METROPOLITAN diary
‘Pentimento’
Dear Diary:
It was a cold, sunny afternoon, and I was on the Upper West Side with some time to spare, so I went to Barnes & Noble. I searched the mystery section for “The Thin Man” by Dashiell Hammett.
After finding a copy, I settled into an empty chair. Soon, a woman wearing chic red glasses sat down beside me. She had two Dorothy Parker books.
“Have you read Dorothy Parker before?,” I couldn’t help but ask.
“No,” she said, “but I need something funny for my book club.”
She asked what I was reading.
“If you like Dashiell Hammett, you must read ‘Pentimento’ by Lillian Hellman,” she said.
“Oh, I love the movie ‘Julia’ with Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave,” I replied.
We chatted for a little while longer, and then I had to leave. I wished her luck with her book club, decided against buying “The Thin Man” and walked outside into the winter chill.
As I strolled past Westsider Books a couple of blocks away, I was astonished to see a $1 hardback copy of “Pentimento.”
I didn’t have any cash, but I promised the bookseller I would bring in a dollar soon.
She smiled.
“Take it,” she said.
— J.D. Waddill
Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Send submissions here and read more Metropolitan Diary here.
