"New York's Plastic Bag Ban Survives Lawsuit, But Not Unscathed"

"Businesses are banned from using the thin plastic bags that have been clogging up landfills, getting tangled in trees and accumulating in lakes and seas, and a judge ruled that state regulators went too far by allowing stores to hand out thicker plastic bags"

"New York's never-enforced ban on single-use plastic bags has survived a lawsuit lodged by a plastic bag manufacturer and convenience store owners, but a state judge ruled Thursday that state regulators went too far by allowing stores to hand out thicker plastic bags.

A state law effective March 1 bans many types of businesses from using the thin plastic bags that have been clogging up landfills, getting tangled in trees and accumulating in lakes and seas. Single-use paper bags are still allowed, but counties have the option of imposing a 5 cent fee.

But the Department of Environmental Conservation agreed to delay enforcement of the law as the state fought to get a court to toss the lawsuit. And amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some retailers have prohibited customers from bringing in reusable bags that New York lawmakers hope to promote."

NBC 4 New York had the story August 20, 2020.

Source: NBC 4 New York, 08/21/2020