New York City: Return Those Plastic Bags

The City Council on Wednesday passed a bill requiring large stores and retail chains to collect and recycle plastic bags they give to shoppers. Under the new bill stores that give the bags to customers must provide recycling bins for the bags in a prominent place in the store. The legislation applies to stores of 5,000 square feet or larger, as well as all branches of chains with more than five locations in the city.

Shoppers will be invited to deposit plastic shopping bags as well as other stretchy plastic materials, such as dry-cleaning bags. Stiff plastic bags with cardboard bottoms are out, since they are considered reusable. Consumers can drop off bags from any store, not just the one where the bin is located.