A look at the impact of New York’s plastic bag ban, 4 years later

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Back in March 2020, a plastic bag ban went in effect in New York state, but what impact has it had since?

“I’ve collected [reusable bags] over many, many years,” said environmentalist Christine Lo.

These reusable bags have become a necessary part of life for any grocery shopper.

“When they started selling them, I bought a handful of them and I still have those handful of bags actually,” Lo said. “I did have a couple that have broken, but I haven’t had to buy any new ones in some time.”

After the plastic bag ban in 2020, those reusable bags became the norm in stores and in people’s homes and cars.

“This one was handed down from my grandma, Blizzard of ‘77,” she poitned out. “These ones that are insulated came from a subscription beef and poultry company I was getting meats from.”

Earlier this year, a study by the Freedonia Group found that in New Jersey, which has a similar ban, bag volume decreased, but plastic consumption tripled. That’s because more plastic was used to make woven and non-woven polypropylene bags. It said these bags are used a few times and then discarded.

The report was funded by the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance, which advocates against plastic bag bans.

“We encourage all New Yorkers to bring their own bag […] whenever and wherever they shop,” said Kayla Montanye, an environmental program specialist for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. “The best reusable bag is the bag that you already have.”

The New York DEC says it doesn’t have numbers on how many reusable bags are being bought or thrown out, but it does say the ban is working.

“There was recently a waste characterization study conducted in New York City [and] what that showed was that there was a an over 50% decrease in the amount of plastic bags in their waste stream since the ban has been in effect,” Montanye added.

While a similar study has not been done statewide, they’re positive about the results.

“Clearly environmental impacts have been reduced,” Montanye said.

Lo isn’t as convinced.

“Certainly if people are buying them and using them for the duration of their life, I think that’s good,” she said. “The question always is are people doing that? I don’t know.”

With free bags often the “swag” given out at events, she says no a lot, and she certainly doesn’t buy new ones.

“This is frustrating for me, because I can’t get rid of them,” she explained. “I don’t want to put them in the trash.”

Even efforts to find alternative disposal methods haven’t worked.

“Thank you for contacting Wegmans customer service. Our Wegmans reusable shopping bags require more resources to make and are not recyclable. Thank you for reaching out,” Lo read from her phone. It was in response to her asking about recycling polypropylene bags.

She’ll keep using the bags she has for as long as possible, and if she does need a replacement, she’ll try to be smart about it.

“I will go and buy cotton to whatever kind of natural fabric that at least I know someday will decompose it when it goes into the trash,” Lo said. “But I don’t know…these bags might outlive me.”

If you have too many reusable bags, the DEC recommends donating them. If they’re not in usable condition, there are places you can send them to, including ChicoBag.