NEW YORK (WBEN) - New York's long-delayed ban on single-use plastic bags went into effect Monday.
The state law bans supermarkets, department stores and other types of businesses from distributing the thin plastic bags that have been clogging up landfills, getting tangled in trees and accumulating in lakes and seas. Single-use paper bags are still allowed, but counties have the option of imposing a 5 cent fee.
"The only plastic bags that we use in the store are the ones that are allowed in the delis, in our cafe and in our meat departments," said Brian Kusmierski, president of Market in the Square.
The law was supposed to go into effect March 1, but state environmental officials delayed enforcement after a lawsuit was bought by a plastic bag manufacturer and convenience store owners. However, Kusmierski and Dash's Market President Mark Mahoney say their stores have been adhering to the original March 1 date.
"When the COVID suspended law went into effect, we were already comfortable with the program we had, so we just stayed the course, and our customers seem very happy with both offerings we have for them," said Mahoney, who noted that Dash's Market locations would go through roughly 80,000 plastic bags per week on average.
"We've seen no push back on it at all," added Kusmierski, pointing out that Market in Square locations used about 50,000 bags per week. "Our customers understood that it was coming, and we kind of pulled the band aid off and kind of said if that's what we have to do, then that's what we'll do, and our customers really conformed to it rather quickly and without incident."
State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said last month that the agency would begin enforcing the ban on Oct. 19. The environmental agency on Monday confirmed it would begin enforcement.
State officials are encouraging New York residents to switch to reusable bags when they shop. They estimate that New Yorkers use 23 billion plastic bags annually.
Plastic bag manufacturers and convenience store owners had argued the plastic bag ban would bankrupt their industries.
