NY lawmaker wants ban on plastic toiletry bottles in hotels

(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 on Sept. 18 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. "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.