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History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S4536
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting grocery stores from providing plastic carryout bags
Purpose
To encourage and facilitate positive consumer behavior by limiting/prohibiting certain grocery stores from distributing plastic carryout bags while providing recyclable paper bags and produce bags upon checkout.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends § 27-2701 of the environmental conservation law as added by chapter 641 of the laws of 2008 by adding a new subdivision providing definitions for types of paper and plastic bags, producers and operators and stores defined as retail establishments over ten thousand square feet that are a business chain or operate five or more units throughout the State.
Section 2 of the bill amends § 27-2706 of the environmental conservation law as added by chapter 641 of the laws of 2008 by adding a new subdivision prohibiting the distribution of plastic carryout bags. Grocery stores shall provide recyclable paper carryout bags, as defined, at no charge to the customer at the point of sale.
Section 3 of the bill describes the effective date taking place on January first of the next succeeding date on which it shall become law, with exceptions.
Justification
There is a pressing need to limit plastic bags from our solid waste stream, which accounts for over 1,700 tons of residential garbage per week in the City alone and costs taxpayers millions of dollars to transport to landfills. As we seek to become more environmentally sustainable, we should encourage positive consumer behavior without burdening low to middle income households with regressive bag taxes. This bill would allow for post-consumer recycled paper bags to be provided at no charge to customers while still allowing produce bags for meats and produce, saving money to municipalities and mitigating damage to our environment.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January succeeding the date passed, with exceptions.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.