Plastic bags go green in NYC

A new law goes into effect Wednesday, requiring large stores and chains throughout New York to put out boxes for passers-by to drop off plastic bags. For the past three months, Super Foodtown in the

News 12 Staff

Jul 22, 2008, 11:33 PM

Updated 5,981 days ago

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A new law goes into effect Wednesday, requiring large stores and chains throughout New York to put out boxes for passers-by to drop off plastic bags.
For the past three months, Super Foodtown in the Bronx has seen an entire bin fill up with plastic bags in a few days.
?Every little bit that we can do to help the environment- I think it's a good thing,? says Harry Celentano, a shopper.
But even some environmentally conscious shoppers say the measure is not practical and requires too much effort.
?We use the plastic bags as garbage bags, so we wouldn't be taking them back here,? says a local shopper Eddie McCauley.
In the meantime, according to the Foodtown manager, sales of reusable canvas bags have skyrocketed in a matter of months.
A similar state bill is currently before Gov. David Paterson. City lawmakers are urging him to create an exemption so that if the state bill passes, it will not pre-empt the city's efforts.