What's happening
This bill prohibits exempt bags from being tinted green or brown unless they are certified compostable plastic bags.
Why it matters
Reduces consumer confusion and contamination in recycling and composting. by restricting green and brown tints—colors often associated with compostable or recyclable products—to only certified compostable plastic bags, making it easier for the public to identify proper disposal methods.
Cracks down on misleading packaging practices. , as non-compostable exempt bags can no longer use colors that might falsely imply environmental friendliness, supporting truth-in-labeling efforts.
Supports the integrity of composting programs. by ensuring only bags meeting compostable standards are colored green or brown, helping composting facilities avoid contamination from non-compostable plastics.
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Who cares
Bag manufacturers and suppliers
The bill would prohibit green or brown tinting on bags exempt from bag-waste restrictions unless they qualify as compostable plastic bags under state law.
Grocery stores and food retailers
Exempt bags used for uncooked meat, bulk produce and food prepared to order could be tinted green or brown only if they meet the compostable plastic bag definition.
Restaurants, taverns and pharmacies
Their exempt food carryout, delivery and prescription bags could not be tinted green or brown unless they qualify as compostable plastic bags.
Trash bag, food storage bag and garment bag sellers
These exempt bag categories would also be subject to the compostability requirement for green or brown tinting.
Headline styles
Limit Bag Colors to Compostables
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Only Compostable Bags Green or Brown
In Senate Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Rachel May
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1189
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to limiting tinted green and brown to compostable plastic bags for the purposes of bag waste reduction
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 27-2801 of the environmental conservation law, as added by section 2 of part H of chapter 58 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
1. "Exempt bag" means a bag: (a) used solely to contain or wrap uncooked meat, fish, or poultry; (b) bags used by a customer solely to package bulk items such as fruits, vegetables, grains, or candy; (c) bags used solely to contain food sliced or prepared to order; (d) bags used solely to contain a newspaper for delivery to a subscriber; (e) bags sold in bulk to a consumer at the point of sale; (f) trash bags; (g) food storage bags; (h) garment bags; (i) bags prepackaged for sale to a customer; (j) plastic carryout bags provided by a restaurant, tavern or similar food service establishment, as defined in the state sanitary code, to carryout or deliver food; or (k) bags provided by a pharmacy to carry prescription drugs; provided however, that an exempt bag shall not be tinted green or brown unless it is a compostable plastic bag as defined in subdivision one of section 27-2701 of this article.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03325-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.