New York Bag Ban: What You Need to Know

According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, New Yorkers blow through 23 billion plastic bags per year. Plastic bags are terrible for the environment. They release toxic chemicals into our soil. Animals eat the bags—especially when the bags contain food residue—and often develop health issues, choke, or even die. Plastic bags cause municipal problems to, leading to clogs in sewer lines that are expensive to remove. And as petroleum products, plastic bags pollute the air when they’re manufactured.

The Department of Environmental Conservation offers up these tips to easily adjust to life “beyond the bag”:

Plastic Bags:

Single-purpose design at its worst!

As a consumer, you can help and #BYOBagNY - Bring Your Own Bag. Keep reusable bags in your car, or clip folding reusable bags onto your commuting bag or purse so you always have them handy. If you store them near the door or coat closet, you'll be more likely to remember them on the way out. Remember that every time you use a reusable bag, you are doing your part to prevent litter and waste. Using reusable bags makes sense and is the right thing to do. You can also remind your family, friends, and neighbors to bring their reusable bags whenever they shop.

You can read more specifics about what to expect here. Basically, you can expect to see plastic bags disappear from most major grocery stores and bodegas. Most stores will switch to paper bags, and charge 5 cents per paper bag used to bag your groceries. Plastic bags will still be available in most produce aisles, and the bag ban makes key exceptions for certain goods like prescription drugs and select bulk items.