Plastic bags

New York’s plastic bag ban, which went into effect March 1, but remained unenforced due to pending litigation, will be enforced starting Monday.

A statewide ban on the distribution of plastic-film carryout bags, with limited exceptions, takes effect in New York on March 1. New Yorkers currently consume 23 billion plastic film shopping bags each year.

The governor yesterday announced his intention to include the single-use plastic bag ban in his 2019 executive budget.

The bill introduced Monday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo does not include a bag fee and contains language that says it would pre-empt all local ordinances governing plastic bag recycling and fees.

The six-member panel tasked a year ago with devising a statewide plan and developing legislation aimed at reducing the 23 billion plastic bags used annually by consumers in New York State evaluated eight options without making a recommendation. An environmental advocate on the task force issued a dissent from its report.

Suffolk County's new “bring your own bag” law will go into effect starting Jan. 1, 2018, imposing a 5-cent fee on both paper and plastic bags.

The legislature's compromise under industry pressure ensured the plastic bag law won't be as effective as needed to deal with the problem.

Suffolk County consumers who take their purchases home in single-use plastic bags will have to pay a nickel apiece for the privilege beginning in January 2018.

The prime sponsor of the plastic bag ban bill says he will rework its provisions to allay concerns of the administration and other legislators, but expects the substance of the bill to remain largely the same.

The adjustment is small. And the stakes—cutting back on this enormous form of toxic debris—are high.