New York City's Plastic Carryout Bag Recycling Law
Info for Consumers

NOTE ABOUT NEW YORK STATE'S PLASTIC BAG RECYCLING LAW: On December 13, 2008, Governor Paterson signed New York State's Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling Act (Assembly Bill A11725/ Senate Bill 8643-A). This law requires larger retail and chain stores to accept clean plastic bags for recycling starting January 2009 and supersedes NYC's plastic bag recycling law. The New York State Legislature is expected to amend the state law to incorporate some of the elements of NYC’s law, although there is no timetable on this amendment. Until such amendment occurs, NYC's Plastic Bag Recycling Law is no longer in effect.

NYC's Plastic Bag Recycling Law

Effective July 23, 2008, New York City's Plastic Carryout Bag Recycling Law (Local Law 1 of 2008) requires NYC stores that provide plastic carryout bags (with the exception of small non-chain stores or restaurants) to accept plastic bags for recycling.

Why plastic bags
What must be accepted
How to discard plastic bags
Legal requirements
Enforcement
NYS plastic bag reduction, reuse, and recycling act


ALSO SEE

• info for retailers on how retailers can comply with this law
• laws and directives for more info about this law
• take it back nyc! for other product return programs

Why plastic bags?

Plastic bags are being targeted for recycling since film plastic comprises about 7.5% of New York City's residential waste stream and is mostly comprised of plastic bags. Plastic bags specifically, comprise about 2.87% of New York City’s residential waste stream, which is the largest source of plastic in NYC's waste (See What's in NYC's Waste).

The system of returning plastic bags to a retail location is preferable to collecting plastic bags as part of the DSNY mixed recycling collection because it ensures the clean stream that is required to effectively recycle plastic bags and film. If bags were mixed together with beverage cartons, bottles, cans, metal & foil, they would be contaminated by the organic matter that's often present in that stream.

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What must be accepted

• plastic shopping bags
• plastic dry cleaning bags
• plastic newspaper delivery bags

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How to discard plastic bags

• Bags can be dropped off at large or chain retail locations that provide plastic bags

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• New York City stores that are either chain stores (more than 5 locations in the city) or are over 5,000 square feet and provide plastic carryout bags must accept all plastic bags, such as plastic carryout bags (shopping bags), newspaper bags, and dry cleaning bags, for recycling, during normal business hours, no purchase necessary. Restaurants are exempt from the law.

• Stores must set up a clearly marked collection bin in a visible location within the store to accept plastic bags.

• Stores are also required to sell reusable bags.

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Enforcement

If a store refuses to accept your plastic bags, please call 311.

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