Statement: Reducing single use plastic water bottles

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey announced Monday that she plans to ban state agencies from purchasing single-use plastic bottles. As Gov. Healey said in her statement at a climate week event, “Plastic production and plastic waste are among the leading threats to our oceans, our climate and environmental justice.”

In response, MASSPIRG Executive Director Janet Domenitz released the following statement:

“We applaud Governor Healey’s announcement, which shifts our state’s focus on plastics from recycling waste to reducing waste. While recycling is better than just throwing things out, after several decades it’s clear that we cannot recycle our way out of the mess we are in. Recent studies and reports show that it is next to impossible to recycle plastic.

“Massachusetts sends to landfills or incinerates almost 6 million tons of waste each year. Reducing single-use plastics would reduce that waste and the Commonwealth’s new commitment to use fewer water bottles is an important step towards zero waste in Massachusetts.

“The state legislature could turn that step into a leap if it passes several policies pending in committee. Lawmakers could move the (not plastic) ball forward by banning polystyrene (also known as Styrofoam), banning single use plastic bags (as more than half the state has done at the local level already), updating the bottle bill, and establishing producer responsibility laws.”