West Chester, Phila et al. sue PA legislature over “ban on bans”

from PennEnvironment, 3/3/21

PA cities’ lawsuit to undo General Assembly’s preemption crucial to addressing plastic pollution

Municipalities must be empowered to address pollution issues when legislature won’t For Immediate Release Wednesday, March 3, 2021

image from West Chester Plastic-Free Please Action Group vigil, 2/14/20

PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia joined with the municipalities of Lower Merion, Narberth (Montgomery County) and West Chester (Chester County) to file a lawsuit Wednesday against Pennsylvania’s General Assembly. The suit claims the legislature unconstitutionally enacted a preemption law that strips the ability of local communities and officials across the commonwealth to implement ordinances addressing waste and litter from single-use plastics. 

This action comes as mounting data shows that plastic pollution has significant negative effects on our health and environment. Notably, a report released this week by PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center found microplastic contamination existed in 100 percent of water samples taken from more than 50 of Pennsylvania’s most popular rivers, lakes and streams. 

PennEnvironment Executive Director David Masur issued the following statement…

read more at PennEnvironment