Today marks the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  A ban has been implemented – that takes effect today – on the use of plastic throwaway bags in New York.  And with any luck we will see the state working hard to beautify the environment once again.

With this new law, business owners in New York will be barred from using thin plastic bags which for many years have been blocking landfills, gotten stuck in trees and gathered in reservoirs.  Only single use paper bags will be permitted but with a 5cents fee.

Environmentalists are concerned that business owners will try to find a loophole and they’ll offer out bags that are thick enough to be considered “multiple use bags” which would just augment the problem.  As one former US Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Judith Enck pointed out:

 “It is a giant loophole which they should close in the future. It’s not good for the environment if you go from thinner plastic bags to thicker plastic bags.”

Not all bags are being outlawed.  Those that can be washed, used at least 125 times, can carry the weight of at least 22 pounds over 175 feet and have an attached non-stretchable strap, will still be permitted.