Tom Precious reports in the Buffalo News that industry groups and environmentalists agree that the state's new plastic bag ban is too vague and needs improvement. On March 1 next year, food stores and other retailers won't be putting purchases in plastic bags. But opinions differ if tote bags made of plastic, or with a bit of plastic in the handles, are also prohibited. All agree that the law only applies to businesses, and consumers can bring whatever bags they want to stores. The original bill had very specific language about what was legal or illegal, but when the measure was added to the April state budget bill, Cuomo and lawmakers changed the definitions, and instead banned “any plastic bag.” Plastic bags are still allowed for bulk items such as vegetables and fruit, drug prescriptions, trash, storage, garments, takeout orders, and delivered newspapers. The story says that the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation may issue a regulation to clear up some industry confusion or put out a question-and-answer guidance document on the new law. Read more about this story in the Buffalo News.