Your questions about the plastic bag ban answered
Larry Donato from Babylon used both plastic and his own bags for grocery shopping at Stop & Shop in West Islip on Jan. 30. Credit: Randee Daddona
New York State's ban on single-use plastic bags takes effect March 1.
Here's what you need to know:
Q: What's changing?
A: Retailers can no longer distribute single-use plastic carryout bags to customers.
Q: Which bags are banned?
A. Regular plastic grocery bags and the types of plastic bags used by other retailers, such as Macy's and Forever 21.
Q. Are any plastic bags still allowed?
A: Yes, these bags are exempt from the ban: Bags used at pharmacies to carry prescription drugs; produce bags for fruits and vegetables; bags used at grocery stores to wrap uncooked seafood, poultry or meat; bags used to contain food prepared to order such as deli meats; bags used by restaurants for carry-out or food delivery; bags sold for food storage, such as sandwich bags; garment bags used by dry cleaners; and bags used to wrap newspapers for home delivery. Trash bags are also exempt.
Q: What about paper bags?
A: Stores may choose to offer paper bags, but they're not required to provide any bags. Some retailers may decide not to switch to paper bags and may only have reusable bags for purchase.
Q: Will paper bags be free?
A: That depends partly on where you live. Counties and cities may choose to opt in to a 5-cent government fee on paper bags. Suffolk has opted in to the fee and Nassau has opted out.
Retailers in areas that opted out may charge their own fee for paper bags, and retailers in areas that opted in are free to charge more than 5 cents.
Q: Where will all this bag fee money go?
A: The 5-cent government fee will go to local and state government, with 3 cents to a state environmental fund and 2 cents to county funds for reusable bags. Retailers in areas that opted out who choose to charge a fee, and those in areas that opted in who choose to charge more than 5 cents, can keep the extra money to help offset business costs.
Q: I have a bunch of single-use plastic bags at home. Is it OK if I bring those in to shop?
A: Yes, shoppers may bring any type of bag — reusable or otherwise — to stores.
Q. Where can I get reusable bags?
Many retailers sell them. The Department of Environmental Conservation will be distributing free reusable bags at libraries, food pantries and other locations. Email DEC at plasticbags@dec.ny.gov for information.
Q: Will customers who pay for groceries using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — also known as food stamps — or WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, be charged bag fees?
A: People receiving assistance from SNAP or WIC are not required to pay the 5-cent government fee in cities or counties that adopted it, but would have to pay if the retailer charges its own fee for paper bags.
