NY lawmaker wants ban on plastic toiletry bottles in hotels
Todd Kaminsky, D-Rockville Centre, debates new legislation reforms to protect New Yorkers from gun violence in the Senate Chamber at the state Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - There's a new push to ban those tiny plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel in hotel rooms across New York state as a way to reduce plastic waste.
State Sen. Todd Kaminsky announced a legislative proposal Wednesday that would prohibit hotels from offering single-use plastic toiletry bottles in guest rooms. Instead, they could use wall-mounted dispensers, larger, multiuse bottles or materials other than plastic to package single-use bottles.
Kaminsky, D-Long Island, cited estimates that hotels in New York City alone dispose of an estimated 27 million plastic toiletry bottles annually.
"Little everyday actions, like eliminating small plastic bottles, will have a positive impact on our environment," Kaminsky said in a statement announcing the bill. "By barring hotels from giving single-use plastic toiletries to customers, we are safeguarding our environment, and mitigating plastic waste and waterway pollution."
The Hotel Association of New York City and the state Hospitality and Tourism Association both back Kaminsky's bill, reflecting growing industry support for the idea. Vijay Dandapani, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City, called it "an important environmental protection effort."
Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, announced plans last month to eliminate small plastic toiletry bottles worldwide by December 2020. Earlier this year IHG, which owns Holiday Inn, Kimpton and other brands, said it would eliminate about 200 million tiny bottles each year by 2021.
Lawmakers are expected to consider Kaminsky's proposal after they reconvene in Albany in January.