New York Is Now The Second State After California To Ban Plastic Bags

Environmental advocates estimate that New Yorkers use about 23 billion plastic bags each year, according to The Associated Press.

To curb the displeasing source of litter, New York State lawmakers imposed a statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags from retail sales.

This idea was given by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and will be the second statewide ban, after California, that banned bags in 2016.

Hawaii has also effectively a ban in place, and New York’s ban is intended to begin next March. It'll forbid stores to provide customers with single-use plastic bags, as they're non-biodegradable and have disastrous effects on wildlife and the environment.

This ban is expected to be part of the state’s budget bills, and it includes exceptions, like food takeout bags used by restaurants, bags used to wrap deli or meat counter products and bags for bulk items, as well as garment bags, newspaper bags, and bags sold in bulk.

It'll also contain an additional element which will allow counties to opt into a five-cent fee on paper bags, revenue which would go to the Environmental Protection Fund and a separate fund to purchase reusable bags for consumers.

Mr. Cuomo stated that those bags have blighted the environment and clogged our waterways, so the plan agreed to in Albany will protect our natural resources for future generations.

Sen. Todd Kaminsky said that he believes after some time, we will be all looking back and wonder why this wasn't something commonplace before now. But he stated that he's glad that New York will be leading the way in being one of the first states to do it.

Furthermore, several other states have taken steps to outlaw other plastic products recently, and Hawaiian lawmakers have proposed a pair of bills which would take a hard-line against most plastic in the restaurant industry, while a proposal in Maryland could make the region the first in the nation to ban polystyrene food containers completely.