As communities and states across the country continue to
struggle with the ecological and financial costs associated with the use of
plastic bags, New York is taking action to implement legislation that will ban
plastic bags statewide. The Governor launched the New York State Plastic Bag
Task Force in March 2017 to conduct a study and develop a comprehensive
solution to the use and disposal of plastic bags and how best to deter their
environmental impact. The Task Force is led by State Department of
Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos along with co-chairs
Senator Thomas O'Mara and Assemblyman Steve Englebright.
The Task Force conducted a survey of more than a dozen
municipalities in New York State that currently have plastic bag laws. The Task
Force also encouraged public comment on the issue and received 558 responses
between March and December 2017. The full report is available here.
Based on
recommendations included in the report, the Governor is introducing a program
bill that would ban the provision of single-use, plastic carryout bags at any
point of sale, and would provide the Department of Environmental Conservation
with exclusive jurisdiction over all matters related to plastic bags and film
plastic recycling. The bill exempts garment bags, trash bags and any bags used
to wrap or contain certain foods, such as fruits and sliced meats. The bill would
go into effect on January 1, 2019.
In addition to the legislation, the state will undertake an
education and outreach campaign to increase consumer awareness of single-use
bags and their harmful impact on the environment. Education efforts will also
seek to educate consumers of the impact plastic bags have on the environment
and the waste stream, and promote use of reusable bags.
Plastic Bag
Environmental Impacts
A ban on single-use plastic carryout bags will significantly
reduce waste and environmental impacts. New York City alone estimates a savings
of $12.5 million in disposal costs by reducing the number of single-use plastic
bags. These costs do not include the significant cleanup costs to remove
plastic through litter collection programs and beach and ocean cleanup efforts.
In addition, the ban will reduce the raw materials and natural resources used
to make, transport, and recycle these bags. Fewer carryout bags given away at
checkout could result in decreased recycling and disposal costs for
municipalities and municipal recycling facilities. Currently, 10 cities, towns, and villages in
New York have enacted plastic bag bans. One municipality has a plastic bag ban
with a fee on single-use paper bags and bags that qualify as reusable,
including 2.25 mil flexible plastic bags. The City of Long Beach has a
single-use plastic bag fee in place and Suffolk County's single-use plastic bag
fee took effect on January 1, 2018.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 80
percent of plastic pollution in the ocean originated on land, which includes
plastic bags, and in New York, residents use 23 billion plastic bags annually,
which contributes to pollution both on and off land. These bags do not
biodegrade and they persist for years.
