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This bill would require covered stores to charge customers at least 10 cents for carryout bags — i.e. the single-use paper or plastic bags that tellers generally offer you when you're leaving the store. All funds collected would go to the stores that charged for the bags.

\"Covered store\" in this context means anything from drug stores, pharmacies, grocery stores, and convenience food stores, or foodmarts that provide carryout bags to consumers. Food service establishments, liquor stores, and emergency food providers are not counted in \"covered\" stores under this legislation.

Some bags that stores provide to customers would be exempt under this bill including handle-less bags used for produce, meats, dry goods and other non-prepackaged foods, pharmacy bags to carry prescriptions in, and any other bag that the commissioner deems should be free.

If passed, stores affected by this legislation would have to post signs near checkout areas to let customers know about the new law. Stores would also have to change the bags that they do keep on hand:

All paper carryout bags would have to have at least 40 percent post-consumer recycled content.
“Compostable” plastic carryout bags would have to be approved by the Commissioner of Sanitation and Waste Management or another certifying body.

If you haven't gotten it by now, the people behind this bill hope that the inconvenience of paying for bags will make you bring re-useable bags to carry out your purchases.

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Does NYC Need a 10¢ Plastic Bag fee?