Over the last few years, municipalities and companies have set goals or taken action to reduce single-use plastics. But, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, those efforts are being slowed, as the demand for bottled water, face masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes significantly increases.
To name a few examples, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc. and Tim Hortons have stopped filling customers’ reusable cups, and New York State Sen. John Flanagan is pushing for a suspension of the state’s recently enacted plastic bag ban.