The single use plastic bag ban is coming back after months of not being enforced.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos announced that the DEC will begin to enforce the ban on single-use plastic carryout bags on Oct. 19, 2020.
According to the DEC, the ban was not enforced due to an agreement with a plastics company. The timing also coincided with COVID-19 as many stores refused to allow reusable bags.
The lawsuit was brought by Poly-Pak Industries, Inc., Green Earth Food Corp., Francisco Marte, Mike Hassen, and the Bodega and Small Business Association in New York State Supreme Court.
DEC Commissioner Seggos said, “The Court’s decision is a victory and a vindication of New York State’s efforts to end the scourge of single-use plastic bags and a direct rebuke to the plastic bag manufacturers who tried to stop the law and DEC’s regulations to implement it. As we have for many months, DEC is encouraging New Yorkers to make the switch to reusable bags whenever and wherever they shop and to use common-sense precautions to keep reusable bags clean. The Court has ruled and DEC will begin to enforce the ban on October 19th. It’s time to BYOBagNY.”
