Laura Vita Mesa – [email protected]
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As of March 1, the State of New York prohibited the use of plastic bags. This will force residents to use reusable ones. It is estimated that New Yorkers use approximately 23,000 million plastic bags a year, so the measure aims to reduce the pollution they generate.
The law prohibits stores from giving single-use plastic bags to their customers. Additionally, counties and cities will have the autonomy to choose whether to charge US $ 0.05 for delivering paper bags to citizens. The money raised by this means will go to the New York Environmental Protection Fund and local governments.
The regulations that came into force will be applied to stores that pay state taxes, however, it includes some exceptions that have generated controversy. Exempt from this measure will be, for example, businesses that sell takeout and home food, prescription drugs, and raw meat and fish, among others.
In announcing the ban, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said it is a “bold move to protect our environment and ban these environmental pests,” adding that “we only have one chance to save the planet.” while distributing reusable bags to citizens for free in various parts of the city.
This regulation also provides that stores can deliver washable plastic bags that can be used at least 125 times and support a weight of 22 pounds.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has emphasized that the focus for enforcing the rule will initially be on the pedagogical aspect, rather than on penalization. For this reason, in the weeks prior to the entry into force of the law, a campaign of signs began in stores and on social networks inviting citizens to bring their own bag when shopping.
In the long term, however, economic penalties are contemplated for businesses that do not comply with the provisions: stores that do not adhere to the norm after a warning may be fined US $ 250. A penalty of US $ 500 is also considered for recidivism during the same year.
New York becomes the third state in the country to pass the state ban, after California and Oregon, while some counties in Hawaii have local bans.
The states of Maine and Vermont are expected to apply the single-use plastic bag restriction this year, and Connecticut and Delaware to do so beginning in 2021.
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