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Plastic bag ban in place, but enforcement delayed

Mar 25, 2020 7:05 am
Rick Karlin reports in the Times Union that New York won't enforce its plastic bag ban until at least mid-May. Walmart is again giving shoppers plastic bags with purchases. New York's law went into effect Feb. 1, then Department of Environmental Conservation officials announced there would be no enforcement until March 1. Now with the coronavirus outbreak, enforcement may not happen for awhile. “The bags are being utilized in advance of the May enforcement period so we can serve customers during this unique time. We’ll adjust accordingly in May and beyond based on the applicable laws,” Walmart spokesperson Phillip Keene said in an email. Environmental Advocates of NY deputy director Kate Kurera said that, “We look forward to the full enforcement of the plastic bag ban and expect that stores will do the right thing and transition to reusable bags." Read more about this story in the Times Union.