Plastic Bags Are Now Banned
From Distribution in New York Establishments in the state can issue a
five-cent fee for a single-use bag at checkout. Penalties for those who fail to follow
the ban won't be issued until April 1. A first-time violation will result in a warning,
but further ones mean a $250 and then $500 fine. The law, which was signed last year, is meant
to help rid the environment of plastic bags. According to the state's government, 23 billion
of them are used in New York every year. In a few exempt cases, the bags will be made available, such as carrying bulk food items. They can also be used for
takeout food from restaurants. Regardless, state residents are now
being encouraged to bring reusable bags.