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Plastic Recycling March 27, 2020 03:30:59 AM

N.Y. State Single-use Plastic Bag Ban Takes Effect

Waste Advantage
ScrapMonster Author
An original bag fee bill passed at the city level in 2015, and Iachan came in when the city was grappling with the state pre-empting the city law from going into effect.

N.Y. State Single-use Plastic Bag Ban Takes Effect

SEATTLE (Waste 360): As of March 1, single-use plastic bags are officially banned in New York State. The law prohibits retail stores from providing single-use plastic bags, with some exceptions; single-use paper bags are allowed, but localities can impose a 5-cent fee per bag.

To ramp up for official enforcement of the ban, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) distributed more than 270,000 reusable bags, with a focus on low- and moderate-income communities. DEC also bolstered its ongoing outreach to stakeholders and industry associations, including the Food Industry Alliance, the Retail Council and the New York Association of Convenience Stores, and partnered with New York State agencies to distribute reusable bags and elevate the state’s BYOBagNY campaign message.

"Right this minute, plastic bags are hanging in trees, blowing down the streets, filling up our landfills and polluting our lakes, rivers and streams—all hurting our environment," said New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in a statement. "Twelve million barrels of oil are used to make the plastic bags we use every year, and by 2050, there will be more plastic by weight in the oceans than fish. We took bold action to protect our environment and ban these environmental blights, and with this campaign, we're going to make sure New Yorkers are ready and have all the facts."

DEC also provided its nine regional offices with BYOBagNY educational materials for use as outreach at public events and is working with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to coordinate cross-agency efforts related to clear communication of the law entities required to collect state sales tax.

"New York continues to be a national leader on environmental issues, and the plastic bag ban is the latest in a series of actions Gov. Cuomo has directed to preserve our air, land and waters for future generations,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos in a statement. “DEC is proud to be at the forefront of these efforts and will continue to work to develop solutions to combat climate change and protect the environment. We continue to encourage New Yorkers to BYOBagNY and bring their own reusable bags wherever and whenever they shop."

Melissa Iachan, a senior staff attorney in the environmental justice program at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, has advocated and litigated for environmental justice, including the bag ban, in New York City for several years. Last April, she testified in support of the city’s proposed 5-cent fee on single-use paper carryout bags.

An original bag fee bill passed at the city level in 2015, and Iachan came in when the city was grappling with the state pre-empting the city law from going into effect.

Courtesy: www.waste360.com

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