Plastic Bags Are Now Banned <br />From Distribution in New York Establishments in the state can issue a <br />five-cent fee for a single-use bag at checkout. Penalties for those who fail to follow <br />the ban won't be issued until April 1. A first-time violation will result in a warning, <br />but further ones mean a $250 and then $500 fine. The law, which was signed last year, is meant <br />to help rid the environment of plastic bags. According to the state's government, 23 billion <br />of them are used in New York every year. In a few exempt cases, the bags will be made available, such as carrying bulk food items. They can also be used for <br />takeout food from restaurants. Regardless, state residents are now <br />being encouraged to bring reusable bags.
