Co-founder, 

Beyond Plastics Sullivan County

Co-founder, Sustainable Sullivan

To the editor:

You learn so much reading the newspaper. I, for example, just learned that I am a radical activist. 

That’s how a recent full-page ad in the Democrat describes people who are working to pass legislation that would save New York $1.3 billion over 10 years. 

How? By gradually decreasing the amount of throwaway packaging, which today makes up about 40% of our waste in New York — an astonishing amount. Most of it is plastic. 

The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA) would also get more than a dozen toxic chemicals and heavy metals out of packaging. (No, you really don’t want plastic containing bisphenols, PFAS, phthalates or lead touching your food.)

Finally, it would not allow so-called “chemical” or “advanced recycling” — a failed techno-fix put forward by industry — to count toward recycling targets. 

The recent advertisement tries to alarm readers by claiming grocery prices will go up. Favorite foods will disappear from shelves, and small businesses will be hurt. 

But the most important text is at the very bottom of the ad — and, since it’s printed in black on a dark background, it’s easily missed. It reads, “Paid for by the American Chemistry Council.”

The American Chemistry Council is the premier lobbying group for the petrochemical industry. Members include subsidiaries of Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, Total and BP. 

Suffice it to say that they want to keep on selling plastic packaging. 

The council is trying to get legislators to weaken the packaging reduction bill, which the ad describes as a “radical law.” 

Luckily, those of us in District 100 are represented by Paula Elaine Kay, who is smart and won’t fall for such ploys. 

Don’t you fall for them, either. The most effective way to get our waste situation under control is to stop producing so much of it in the first place. Disposable packaging is a great place to start.