COLUMBUS – Ohio lawmakers held a fourth hearing Tuesday on legislation that would prohibit communities from banning plastic bags.
House Bill 625 and Senate Bill 210 claim imposing local taxes on single-use containers, including plastic bags, are a burden on business, and could result in higher costs for shoppers.
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, along with some retail and manufacturing organizations, support the measures, claiming container laws should be left up to the state to avoid confusion. But opponents, such as environmental scientist Dr. Randi Pokladnik of southeast Ohio, say residents should have the right to decide what’s best for their communities.
“We live in a throwaway society and unfortunately, we have picked plastic to be our packaging to use for everything. A lot of those plasticizers will leach out of the plastic bottles,” she said. “We’re really exposing ourselves to so many chemicals by choosing to live a life of convenience.”
Pokladnik and others are worried lawmakers will pass the legislation during the lame duck session
Some Ohio businesses and restaurants are moving away from using plastic straws, and Ashtabula this year became the first city in the state to pass a “straw by request” ordinance.