It would impose another costly mandate on retailers and restaurants.
BOSTON, Oct. 15, 2019 – The Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture holds a hearing today on several bills that would ban or limit the distribution of plastic items like straws, utensils, or food containers frequently used by retailers. NFIB, a small business association with thousands of members in Massachusetts, will testify against a number of those bills. The following comments are attributable to Christopher Carlozzi, state director of NFIB in Massachusetts:
“Banning legal products such as plastic straws, utensils, and certain types of food packaging drives up operating costs for small businesses. Requiring those business owners to shift to higher cost alternatives will only send prices soaring for consumers.
“Massachusetts lawmakers must refrain from interfering in the operation of Main Street shops and restaurants in a state where small businesses are struggling to survive. They’ve already been hit with costly mandated leave laws, a $15 minimum wage, and they pay some of the highest energy costs in the nation.”
