Hudson Valley Town Bans Plastic Bags

A Hudson Valley town voted to ban plastic shopping bags. Residents will also be charged to use paper bags.

In a town board vote, New Castle approved the reusable bag initiative, a new law that prohibits plastic bags from being disturbed in stores.

“Single-use plastic shopping bags are ubiquitous. They are harmful to the environment and cannot be recycled,” Steve Wolk, Chair, New Castle Sustainability Advisory Board said in a statement. “The plastic bags create unsightly litter, clog storm drains, and are produced with depleting natural resources.”

The law also will require stores to charge 10 cents for each paper bag. Stores will get to keep the entire fee to help offset the costs of paper bags.

The law hopes to encourage residents to bring their reusable bags when they shop. Officials say the 10 cent paper bag fee will remind residents to bring their reusable bag, or realize, in some cases, that a bag may not be needed.

Some bags will be allowed without charge, including meat and produce plastic bags, dry cleaning bags, prescription drug bags, newspaper bags, and greeting card bags.

According to the Examiner News, New Castle will become the 9th municipality in New York State and 5th in Westchester County to regulate the use of plastic bags. Rye, Mamaroneck, Hastings-on-Hudson, and Larchmont already have laws in place.