Nassau County enacted a five cent disposable bag fee in 2018, and the New York statewide plastic carryout bag ban under ECL 27-2801 has applied since 2020.
Nassau County Local Law (Ch. 188, 2018) imposed a 5 cent fee on each disposable carryout bag at retail checkout, predating the New York statewide ban. Effective March 2020, NY Environmental Conservation Law 27-2801 banned single-use plastic carryout bags at most retailers statewide, with exemptions for produce bags, prescription bags, and bags for prepared takeout food. Counties may impose a paper bag fee, and Nassau retains its 5 cent paper bag fee. SNAP and WIC customers are exempt from the paper fee, and the revenue is split between local environmental funds and the state.
Retailers distributing prohibited plastic carryout bags or failing to collect the paper bag fee face state DEC and county enforcement penalties starting at fifty dollars per day.
See how Nassau County's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
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