In the Inbox, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn asks that you contact Albany to support New York City’s recently-passed plastic bag recycling law:

“Earlier this year, the Council, together with Mayor Bloomberg, passed the New York City Plastic Carryout Bag Recycling Law (Local Law 1 of 2008), requiring stores across the City to establish in-store recycling programs for plastic bags and film plastic, such as plastic wrap, dry cleaning bags and newspaper bags. The law, which officially went into effect on July 23rd, applies to stores that use plastic bags and occupy 5,000 or more square feet or have more than five branches operating in New York City.

Despite all the hard work that went into making this law a reality, last month the State Legislature quietly passed a statewide plastic bag recycling bill that, if signed by Governor Paterson, would eliminate the City’s program and replace it with a far weaker one dictated by Albany. For example, the State’s bill would significantly reduce the number of stores in New York City required to recycle plastic bags. The State’s bill also only applies to carryout bags (and not film plastic) and would do away with the City’s ability to enforce any bag recycling law or ensure that businesses are in compliance…. I am hoping you will join us in calling on Albany to take the necessary steps to ensure that the City’s plastic bag recycling law remains in full effect. Please contact the state representatives below and urge them to modify the State’s bill to allow the City’s more robust plastic bag recycling program to continue:”

(Contact info after the jump):

Governor David Paterson
New York City Office
633 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Telephone: (212) 681-4580
E-mail
Speaker Sheldon Silver
New York State Assembly
250 Broadway, Suite 2307
New York, NY 10007
Telephone: (212) 312-1420
E-mail
Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos
New York State Assembly
55 Front Street
Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Telephone: (516) 766-8383
E-mail
Assembly Member Robert Sweeney
Chair, Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee
270-B North Wellwood Avenue
Lindenhurst, NY 11757-3708
Telephone: (631) 957-2087
E-mail
Senator Carl Marcellino
Chair, Senate Environmental Conservation Committee
250 Townsend Square
Oyster Bay, NY 11771
Telephone: (516) 922-1811
E-mail