New York State lawmakers
have agreed to impose a statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags
from retail sales, changing a way of life for millions of New Yorkers as
legislators seek to curb an unsightly and omnipresent source of litter.
The plan, proposed a year
ago by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, would be the second statewide ban, after
California, which banned bags in 2016. Hawaii also effectively has a ban in place, since all the
state’s counties bar such single-use bags. New York’s ban, which would begin
next March, would forbid stores to provide customers with single-use plastic
bags, which are nonbiodegradable and have been blamed for everything from
causing gruesome wildlife deaths to thwarting recycling efforts.
The ban, which is expected
to be part of the state’s budget bills that are slated to be passed by Monday,
would have a number of carveouts, including food takeout bags used by
restaurants, bags used to wrap deli or meat counter products and bags for bulk
items. Newspaper bags would also be exempted, as would garment bags and bags
sold in bulk, such as trash or recycling bags.
The plan would have an
additional element allowing counties to opt in to a 5-cent fee on paper bags,
revenue that would go to the state’s Environmental Protection Fund as well as a
separate fund to buy reusable bags for consumers. In a statement released late
Thursday afternoon, Mr. Cuomo said:
“These bags have blighted our environment and clogged our waterways,” adding that the plan agreed to in Albany would be a way to “protect our natural resources for future generations of New Yorkers.”
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