NY Statewide Plastic Bag Ban Set to Take Effect
Plastic Recycling | 2020-02-28 06:50:20
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has been involved in various efforts to raise awareness levels among residents on the new rules.
By Paul Ploumis
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The statewide ban on single-use plastic bags is set to take effect in New York this Sunday (1st March, 2020). From that date, New York retailers will be prohibited from giving away plastic bags to customers.
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has been involved in various efforts to raise awareness levels among residents on the new rules, which in turn would ensure safe transition. It has run several promotional advertisements on social media platforms, as well as on its official website page and YouTube channel. A total of 270,000 reusable bags have already been distributed to low and middle-income families as substitute for single-use plastic bags.
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According to reports, strict enforcement of the law will begin only a few months after the implementation. Upon enforcement of the law, first-time violators of the rule will be given warning. Repeated violation within the same calendar year could result in fines ranging between $250 and $500.
As part of the ban, counties and cities can opt into charging a 5-cent fee on paper bags, of which 2 cents will go to local governments and 3 cents will go to the state’s Environmental Protection Fund.
