Most plastic bags in NY State will not be banned on March 1st

Thanks to my friend Maria for sending me this. Looks like about the only banned bags are at the checkout for your groceries.

New York plastic bag ban: Here are which bags will still be allowed March 1

Not banned:

Stores will still be able to package your meat, fish and poultry in thin plastic bags. According to the DEC regulations, the bag ban won't apply to any bags used to contain or wrap uncooked meat, fish, seafood, poultry, unwrapped or non-prepackaged food, flowers or plants.

Plastic bags can be used for other items, too, if they're necessary to be kept separate for purposes of avoiding contamination or moisture damage, or for sanitary purposes.

Bags for bulk purchases will still be allowed.

Pet stores and retailers will be allowed to use plastic bags for live insects, fish, crustaceans, mollusks or "other aquatic items requiring a waterproof bag,"...

Newspaper delivery bags, exempt AND NOT BANNED

ZipLoc and other food storage bags--The ban exempts bags that are meant for food storage, particularly those manufactured in "snack, sandwich, quart, and gallon sizes."

Dry cleaning bags are exempt

Trash bags are exempt

 

Restaurant take out bags are exempt

Comments

[Bob Wintermeier]

TOM;
THANKS FOR CATCHING THIS EXAMPLE OF THE FAILURE OF LEGISLATORS TO FORESEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR DUMB LAWS UNTIL AFTER THEY ARE ENACTED. FORESIGHT IS MUCH HARDER THAN HINDSIGHT. I EXPECT TO SEE THE BAG LAW DROPPED SOON AFTER IT GOES INTO EFFECT DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THE STATUTES!
BOB

[maria]

Enforcement is also on hold...sort of....per the NY Post and the DEC

Enforcement of the ban will not be immediate amid complaints of a paper bag shortage. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation this week acknowledged that retailers may not have had enough time to vanquish plastic from their stores, including a switchover to paper bags. As a result, they plan to let retailers continue to use synthetic bags without repercussions after the March 1 deadline goes into effect — until further notice.

“Enforcement will follow in the months ahead,” said DEC Chief of Staff Sean Mahar, in a WAMC radio interview on Tuesday.

READ THE REST AT https://nypost.com/2020/02/18/new-yorks-plastic-bag-ban-will-have-a-lenient-start/

[Rosemarie Raffa]

This is ridiculous. Massachusetts has had a bag ban for years. From a restaurant your food goes in paper clam shells, to paper bag. Large purchases from stores - eg Kohl’s go in large paper bags. It’s not that bi*. A deal.

[tom faranda]

Rose how do you put garbage out, if not in plastic bags?