Law to cut use of plastic bags
More plastic recycling bins will be available at stores after Gov. David A. Paterson signed a law that requires plastic bag recycling programs at stores with 10,000 square feet or more of retail space and chains of five of more stores with greater than 5,000 square feet of retail space.
The Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Act went into effect Jan. 1. It requires stores to collect and recycle plastic bags, label bags to encourage customers to bring bags back to the store for recycling and keep records on the collection method and effectiveness. Stores also must sell reusable bags.
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that Americans discarded more than 3.3 million tons of polyethylene bags, sacks and wraps in 2005. Of those, only 5.4 percent were recycled.
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