Under the new state law, large stores and retail or grocery store chains will have to provide bins for collection of used carry out bags. (Photo by Lisa Ann Pinkerton)
Lots of supermarkets encourage shoppers to carry re-usable bags for their groceries – by selling those cheap canvas sacks. The idea is to reduce the use of plastic bags. Some states are making sure those plastic bags still used are recycled. Julie Grant reports:
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Lots of supermarkets encourage shoppers to carry re-usable bags for their groceries – by selling those cheap canvas sacks. The idea is to reduce the use of plastic bags. Some states are making sure those plastic bags still used are recycled. Julie Grant reports:
New York has just joined California as only the second state to mandate stores to collect and recycle plastic bags.
Americans use over 80 billion plastic bags a year. They’re usually made with oil. New York leaders are also concerned that the plastic litters streets and parks, waterways, and landfills. People usually throw bags out after one use. But the plastic can take a thousand years to decompose.
Under the new state law, large stores and retail or grocery store chains will have to provide bins for collection of used carry out bags. The stores will have to recycle the returned bags and keep records for three years.
Plastic bag makers are actually glad states are starting to mandate recycling. They say it will reduce the glut of bags – and provide plastic for things such as weather resistant lumber products.
For the Environment Report, I’m Julie
Grant.