While China has gone for an all out ban, NYC yesterday passed a bill requiring large stores and retail chains to collect and recycle plastic bags they give to shoppers. When it takes effect, retailers must provide recycling bins for the bags in a prominent place in the store. The legislation applies to stores of 5,000 square feet or larger, as well as all branches of chains with more than five locations in the city. The NYTimes has further details of the vote.
Mayor Bloomberg looks set to sign the legislation after which retailers will have six months to establish their programs.
This program clearly is a move in the right direction to deal with the environmental effects plastic bags create. What do you plan on doing with all that extra space you’ll have underneath the sink?
photo via Steph at reusablebags.com
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Great blog!
If the economics don’t work, recycling efforts won’t either.
Http://LivePaths.com blogs about innovative entrepreneurs that make money selling recycled items, provide green services or help us reduce our dependency on non renewable resources. These includes some very cool Green online ventures, great new technologies, startups and investments opportunities.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Charge everyone for a bag. Money goes somewhere useful/community based.
That aside, I’m amazed me how many bags store owners give to customers in NYC – it’s ridiculous.
January 11th, 2008 at 12:14 pm