Plastic Bag Confusion
We try to clear up any confusion regarding using single-use plastic bags.
If you've gone shopping recently, you may have noticed that most stores started using single-use plastic bags again after they were banned a while back. From what we know, stores started using the bags again to slow the spread of COVID-19, but the bag ban is going back into stores starting on Monday October 19th, according to News 10.
At least we think its going back into affect, as there has been some confusion around the bag ban because of lawsuits that have been filed by many businesses that are fighting it.
The American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance Director Zachary Taylor, speaking about some complaints that have been filed, told News 10 that, "They’re asking the court to take a look at what and how the DEC is planning on implementing the law, and whether or not that is in line with the court’s ruling from August."
The bag ban was passed back in 2019 and supposed to start in March but because of the virus, and some exemptions to the law it has become a mess. Taylor said the law isn't clear, "It included a prohibition on plastic carry out bags unless a bag was an exempt bag. The law was written in such a way that it would prohibit essentially any bag made of plastic, whether nylon, or polyester or other plastics, even those used to make portable reusable bags would be prohibited… under the law."
All of this is super confusing, so what do we do? I plan on getting back in the routine of bring my reusable bags starting today, because the Department of Environmental Conservation does plan on starting to enforce the ban on single-use plastic carryout bags starting on October 19th.