News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
DATE:
 February 28, 2020
CONTACT: Kathy Sautter
716 635 5577

   
AS PLASTIC BAG BAN NEARS, TOPS PARTNERS WITH OCRRA TO HELP EDUCATE COMMUNITY
Williamsville, N.Y. – Tops Friendly Markets, who has more than three quarters of its stores in New York State, is less than one week away from no longer providing plastic bags to its shoppers due to newly passed legislation banning the use of plastic bags. While Tops has been providing its shoppers with a wide variety of bags for its shoppers to choose from, from jute and reusable to canvas and paper, long before the plastic bag ban was a glimmer in anyone’s eye, the locally owned and operated grocer felt it was important to educate its customers on the environmental impact of the new legislation set to take effect March 1, 2020.

“At Tops, social responsibility and sustainability have always been at the core of the company’s mission,” said Kathy Sautter, public and media relations manager for Tops Friendly markets. “Tops upholds standards that ensure that we reduce environmental waste and energy consumption while providing our customers with sustainably sourced, high-quality products. But being responsible environmental corporate citizens goes beyond the products on the shelves or even the actions we take behind the scenes. It’s about the education we provide our customers and that’s why we’ve chosen to partner with our local municipalities to better inform our consumers about the impact the New York State plastic bag ban will have on the environment to help you, the consumer better understand the changes at hand.”

Throughout the month of March at select Tops locations (noted below and across the chains footprint), Tops will be welcoming such organizations as Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) to not only educate customers about the positive environmental impact of using reusable bags, but provide FREE reusable bags to shoppers who visit theses Tops Markets locations noted below.

“OCRRA is thrilled to be giving out reusable bags to customers,” said Theresa Evans, recycling specialist at OCRRA. “Plastic bag reduction means less plastic trash and litter, which is good for the environment. For any plastic bags still in circulation, as well as stretchy film plastics such as overwrap on cases of water bottles or on paper products including paper towels, toilet paper and napkins – they can all be recycled at store location drop boxes. While they should never go in the blue bin, they do not have to become trash; they can be recycled!”

Tops Location Date Time Organization 2265 Downer St., Baldwinsville, NY Friday, March 6, 2020 11:00am – 2:00 pm OCRRA 181 Shop City Plaza, Syracuse, NY Friday, March 13, 2020 11:00 am – 2:00 pm OCRRA

To learn more about Tops environmental efforts please visit www.topsmarkets.com/sustainability.

### About Tops Tops Markets, LLC is headquartered in Williamsville, NY and operates 159 full-service supermarkets with five additional franchise stores and is the largest private, for-profit employer in Western New York. As a leading grocery retailer in New York, northern Pennsylvania, and western Vermont, and with the support of 14,000 associates, our core mission is to help our communities flourish. We support programs that seek to eradicate hunger and disease; promote the education of our youth; and to ensure we reduce environmental waste and energy consumption while providing our customers with sustainably sourced, high quality products. For more information, visit www.topsmarkets.com

About OCRRA OCRRA is a not-for-profit public benefit corporation created by the New York State Legislature in 1990 to deliver a comprehensive solid waste management and resource recovery system to Onondaga County residents. OCRRA’s system includes: a strong recycling and composting program, a foundation for local waste disposal at the Waste-to-Energy Facility, a convenient trash and recycling drop off site, a robust education component and programs for hard to manage materials, such as household hazardous waste, batteries, fluorescent bulbs and other mercury-containing devices. OCRRA’s award-winning programs are funded by trash drop-off fees and the sale of electricity generated at the Waste-to-Energy Facility in Jamesville, NY. Learn more and get involved at www.OCRRA.org, or follow us on Facebook.

 

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