‘People Will Wonder Why We Didn’t Do This Sooner’: New York Becomes Second State to Ban Plastic Bags

A man holds a plastic shopping bag in New York’s Central Park. Kena Betancur / VIEWpress / Corbis via Getty Images New York State lawmakers agreed to a ban on single-use plastic bags Sunday, making the Empire State the second in the nation to do so. The decision was part of a $175.5 billion budget agreement that included other progressive measures including the elimination of cash bail for most misdemeanors and non-violent crimes, three-hours-off on election day for voting and the nation’s first-ever congestion pricing program in the busiest part of Manhattan. The budget was expected to be passed in a series of bills during a session Sunday that could carry into Monday, the Associated Press reported . "I am proud to announce that together, we got it done," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said of the budget, according to the Associated Press. Plastic bags have blighted our environment and clogged our waterways. By banning them, we will protect our natural… https://t.co/WhG8ie0GWs — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) 1553879537.0 The plastic bag ban will go into effect March 1, 2020. Counties and cities will have the option to charge customers five cents for paper bags. Two cents would then go to […]

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