Reduce Single-use Bags in NYC

SUMMARY   l   WHY WE NEED IT   l   HOW IT WORKS   l   FAQ   l   GET INVOLVED  

THE BILL TEXT   l   WHAT NEW YORKERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE BILL   l    NEWS

Every year, New Yorkers dispose of 9.37 billion single-use plastic bags -- and millions of them end up in our neighborhoods, trees, streets, and oceans.  New York City spends $12.5 million per year to send them to landfills, and even more to clean them off playgrounds, beaches, parks, and other public places. 

Even when properly disposed of, plastic bags often blow away onto the street or into waterways, where they become eyesores, clog storm drains, and endanger wildlife. If we are going to achieve our OneNYC zero waste goals, we can't ignore harmful plastic bag waste.

Our bill aims to reduce the use and negative impacts of carryout bags by requiring a 5-cent charge for carryout bags in NYC grocery and retail stores. 

Pass Int 209-A to reduce single-use bags in NYC!

• Plastic bags cost the public money through waste burden and machinery jams at recycling plants.
• Our current voluntary plastic bag recycling regime is ineffective, and despite over a decade of efforts, plastic industry groups cannot point to a single successful municpal plastic bag recycling program.
• Other cities in the U.S. and around the world have successfully reduced plastic bags through per-bag charges and there is no reason that NYC should lag behind.
• Reducing our plastic bag waste is an important step of reaching our OneNYC zero waste goals. Plastic bags are a big part of the problem, and we need a new approach to deal with them.

• Council Members Brad Lander, Margaret Chin, and many other Members support Int 0209-A to reduce the use of disposable carryout bags in New York City and encourage people to bring their own reusable bags.

Track Plastic Bag Litter on the #BagItNYC Map

• Help us map NYC's plastic bag problem. It's easy - just upload a photo of plastic bag litter to instagram using #BagItNYCMap. 
• Use the map below (also at BagItNYC.org) to track support for the bill in your district.