Plastic bag ban enforcement to start Oct. 19
The state Department of Environmental Conservation will begin enforcement of the ban on single-use plastic carry-out bags starting next month, a state official said.
DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced on Friday that the crackdown would start on Oct. 19.
The plastic bag ban, which went into effect on March 1, was not enforced per an agreement between the parties in a lawsuit filed by Poly-Pak Industries, Inc., in state Supreme Court in Albany.
“The Court’s decision is a victory and a vindication of New York State’s efforts to end the scourge of single-use plastic bags and a direct rebuke to the plastic bag manufacturers who tried to stop the law and DEC’s regulations to implement it,” Seggos said in a statement. “As we have for many months, DEC is encouraging New Yorkers to make the switch to reusable bags whenever and wherever they shop and to use common-sense precautions to keep reusable bags clean.”
Seggos said that the Supreme Court order allowed for at least 30 days’ notice prior to commencing enforcement.
“DEC is currently conducting extensive outreach to stakeholders, including grocery stores, re
tailers, and others, to provide notice of the start of enforcement and answer questions,” the agency said in a press release.
Additional information about exemptions to the plastic bag ban, frequently asked questions, and posters, flyers, and tip strips to download, as well as tips for keeping reusable bags clean are available on the DEC website at https:// www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/50034.html
The agency says New Yorkers use an estimated 23 billion plastic bags annually—each for
about 12 minutes—and approximately 85 percent of this total ends up in landfills, recycling machines, waterways, and streets.
In March 2017, Gov. Andrew Cuomo created the New York State Plastic Bag Task Force, chaired by DEC Seggos. “The task force met several times to develop a uniform, comprehensive, and equitable solution to the challenge of plastic bag waste,” the agency said. The final report analyzed the impacts of single-use plastic bags and provided options for legislation that could help develop a statewide solution.
In addition, following passage of the New York State Plastic Bag Waste Reduction Act, the DEC held a series of
meetings with industry stakeholders across the state to invite input from the public and guide the agency’s development of rules and regulations to implement the law.
For more information about the plastic bag ban, reusable bags, or to file a complaint about entities using single-use plastic carryout bags, visit DEC’s website, email plasticbags@dec.ny.gov, or call (518) 402-8706.
The lawsuit was brought by Poly-Pak Industries, Inc., Green Earth Food Corp., Francisco Marte, Mike Hassen, and the Bodega and Small Business Association in New York State Supreme Court. The court issued its decision in the case on Aug. 20.