New York Passes Law To Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags

On Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law that will ban the sale of single-use plastic bags in New York next March. Signing it on Earth Day, Cuomo said that the legislation would help reduce pollution and help protect New York's wildlife.

According to Cuomo, New Yorkers use an estimated 23 billion plastic bags every year, and estimates show that about half of single-use plastic bags end up as litter. Cuomo said that the ban will also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with creating the bags. California and Hawaii are the only other states that have completely banned plastic bags.

"You see plastic bags hanging in trees, blowing down the streets, in landfills and in our waterways, and there is no doubt they are doing tremendous damage," Cuomo said. "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 need to stop using plastic bags, and today we're putting an end to this blight on our environment."

Cuomo said that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will work to ensure the roll-out of the new law does not disproportionately impact low and moderate income and environmental justice communities through the distribution of reusable bags.

The new law bans the provision of single-use, plastic carryout bags at any point of sale, and provides the DEC exclusive jurisdiction over all matters related to plastic bags. Under the new law, garment bags, trash bags and any bags used to wrap or contain certain foods, such as fruits and sliced meats are exempt from the ban. Counties or cities will also be permitted to charge a five cent fee for single-use paper bags. Three cents from the fee will go to the Environmental Protection Fund, while the other two cents will go to the locality to pay for distribution of reusable bags.