The governor of Massachusetts, Maura Healey, signed a governor’s executive order last week that formally banned all state agencies from purchasing any single-use plastic bottles. The ban affects only bottles that are 21 ounces or less. This marks Massachusetts as the first state to issue any sort of single-use plastic bottle ban and some call it groundbreaking. Climate change experts are quite happy to see one of these laws finally passed, as there have been countless attempts to have one filed and passed, but this is the first one to have actually passed.
Massachusetts’ own Climate Chief, Melissa Hoffer, explained the significance of this bill as we need to work toward being a unit that relies less on things like fossil fuels and single-use plastic. While parties in support of climate crisis combat attempts are in complete support of the ban, there are some groups in opposition. For example, the International Bottled Water Association wrote a letter to Governor Healey expressing concerns they had.
Several others have been outspoken over the worry of this ban affecting drinking water availability in an emergency situation.
The International Bottled Water Association’s letter to the governor addressed multiple concerns they have. They wrote that the ban will ultimately lead to higher GHG emissions and also pointed out the concern regarding drinking water. In their letter, they specifically stated that the ban “will limit the government’s ability to respond to water needs in times of crisis.”
Then there is a third group of people who feel the ban should merely be a start toward more severe climate laws.
A professor of plastics engineering at the UMASS Lowell campus released a statement expressing that the state needs to better things such as recycling programs as well. She pointed out that the ban could make the state complacent and feel as though they are now doing enough to fight the climate crisis, but they are nowhere near done with the work needed to be done.
Healey has made other advances toward other environmentalist bills, also signing one into effect that creates a structure for the biodiversity goals of the state through 2050. When speaking on the plastic bottle ban, she explained how it is her responsibility, as well as other political leaders’ responsibility to not only stop a bad habit or practice but also instill a better one.