K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Enforcement of N.Y.’s Plastic Bag Ban Delayed to June 15

May 3, 2020 - from the Hamodia:

"Enforcement of New York’s plastic bag ban has once again been delayed, as the state continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic."

"The state banned single-use plastic bags on March 1, with enforcement set to start in April and was then pushed off until May 15. But on Thursday, a state Supreme Court order directed the state Department of Environmental Conservation to enforce the ban only after June 15."

"'This does not affect the local laws in New York City, Suffolk County and Tompkins County requiring that the 5-cent paper carryout bag reduction fee must be charged on paper carryout bags,' the DEC said."

"The ban has been slammed during the coronavirus pandemic as it has been shown that reusable bags may help spread the deadly disease."

"Once enforcement does begin, the state will enforce the ban by issuing a warning to retailers who violate the law for the first time. Retailers could eventually face a $250 fine for a subsequent violation, and a $500 fine for violations in the same calendar year."

State officials say fines under New York’s bag ban won’t start for another month

February 28, 2020 - from the New York Post:

"New York statewide plastic bag ban begins this Sunday — but actual enforcement won’t start for a month, officials said Friday."

"State authorities agreed Thursday to delay penalizing stores violating New York’s ban of single-use plastic bags until April 1 after grocers filed a last-minute lawsuit to try and block the law."

"Officials announced the deal after a closed-door preliminary Supreme Court hearing in Albany."

"A new law passed by state lawmakers Albany last March bans plastic bags at most stores and allows retailers to charge a 5-cent fee for each paper bag. The policy takes effect March 1, but the state will wait a month before dishing out fines."

"The legislation aims to reduce litter and help protect wildlife in the Empire State, where more than 23 billion plastic bags are used a year, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation."

"All shops that collect sales tax, including grocery stores, bodegas and retailers across Empire State."

"Once enforcement begins in April, stores caught in violation of the ban will first be issued a verbal warning. The penalty for a second violation is $100 and the penalty for a third or subsequent violation is $500."

"Plastic bags can still be doled out for uncooked meat, bulk items, takeout at restaurants and prescription drugs."

"Bring your own reusable bag made from cotton, recycled polypropylene or other materials. You can also buy one at some stores, or pay the extra 5-cent fee for a paper sack. That’s if one is available — retailers are predicting a shortage when the ban hits."

"Two cents is given to local government and 3 cents goes to the state’s Environmental Protection Fund."

New Yorkers rankled on first day of statewide plastic-bag ban

March 1, 2020 - from the New York Post:

"New Yorkers were forced to begin grappling with a new shopping reality Sunday as the state’s ban on plastic shopping bags kicked in — and not many people were happy about it."

"About half the shoppers seen by The Post on the first day of the bag ban, including Kimmel, were compensating by bringing their own bags from home, while another quarter opted to just go bagless rather than pay the 5-cent paper-bag fee allowed under the law, and the remaining 25 percent coughed up the nickel charge per bag."

"The law, passed by state lawmakers last year, bars single-use plastic bags at any retailer — from supermarkets to bodegas — that collects sales tax at their store."

"It allows shoppers to bring bags from home, buy a reusable bag at the store, or pay the 5-cent fee for paper bags."

"Smaller retailers, including the Food Bazaar Supermarket in Woodside, opted to ease into the new world of plastic-less retail by pushing their remaining supply before tapping new stacks of brown paper bags."

"At the Bay Ridge Stop & Shop in Brooklyn, some shoppers were so ticked off that they blindly lashed out Mayor Bill de Blasio, who supports the ban but in reality did not pass it — the state did."