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City Council Considers Proposal To Put 10-Cent Tax On Disposable Bags

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City is using too many plastic bags for no good reason, according to City Councilman Mark Levine.

"You can buy a little roll of breath mints and they'll give you a plastic bag," he said. "You can buy one apple that you're about to eat, they'll give you a plastic bag."

City Council Considers Proposal To Put 10-Cent Tax On Plastic Bags

And so Levine is one of the many City Council members supporting the 10-cent tax on those plastic, throwaway bags you get from stores, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported.

A rally was held Wednesday in support of the legislation.

The bill is opposed by plastic bag manufacturer Novolex. Senior Vice President Mark Daniels said folks like Levine have it all wrong. He claims plastic bags are environmentally friendly.

City Council Considers Proposal To Put 10-Cent Tax On Disposable Bags

"They're made in the United States, they're made from a by product of natural gas, 90 percent of New Yorkers reused them for secondary purposes," Daniels said.

It's estimated the average person uses 600 plastic bags every year.

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