On March 1, 2020, a new law banning single-use plastic bags took effect in New York state. The purpose of the law is to reduce the amount of plastic which harms animals and the environment. According to reports, New York goes through 23 billion single-use plastic bags per year and few are recycled. Instead, those bags go into landfills or end up choking and poisoning animals, clogging streams and rivers, and going into oceans. The new law asks customers to use reusable bags, or stores can sell paper bags or more heavy-duty reusable plastic bags. Some criticized the new law because they believe it will be a new challenge for poor people and small business.
