Sub-Plastic Ban Bag starts March 1
In an effort to help customers make the transition away from carryout plastic bags ahead of the statewide ban set to take effect March 1, Stop & Shop will be offering free reusable bags at its store locations across New York.
Beginning Feb. 22, Stop & Shop will have information tables set up at stores to answer questions about the upcoming ban and to provide giveaway items including a free reusable bag for every customer who brings in one or more carryout plastic bags for recycling, with a limit of one per customer, per visit, while supplies last.
The plastic bags collected will be recycled into composite wood, which is used for things like decking, park benches and playground equipment.
In New York cities or counties that have chosen to implement a 5-cent paper bag reduction fee, Stop & Shop will collect and remit the funds to the government, per state law. At stores where the city or county has chosen not to institute the 5-cent paper bag reduction fee, Stop & Shop will charge 5 cents per bag in an effort to encourage its customers to use reusable bags.
Stop & Shop will donate the funds collected from this charge to local environmental conservation groups, including the Coastal Research & Education Society of Long Island, Riverkeeper, and Westchester Land Trust.
“Sustainability is a priority at Stop & Shop, and we’re committed to encouraging the use of reusables and to helping our customers make the transition,” said Gordon Reid, Stop & Shop’s president. “By charging 5 cents for paper, we’re encouraging our customers to make the switch to reusable bags – while also supporting local non-profits that are doing important work to protect and preserve the environment in New York State.”
“We support Stop & Shop’s efforts to support local environmental organizations during this transitional period of phasing out single-use bags,” said Lori Ensinger, president of Westchester Land Trust. “We hope customers remember their reusable bags and reduce waste in our communities. Westchester Land Trust will use the funds raised through the paper bag charge to add to the nearly 9,000 acres of natural land that WLT has already conserved in our region and will remain preserved forever.”
Dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint, Stop & Shop recycled approximately 350 million pounds of material including plastics and cardboard in 2019 – diverting 73 percent of the company’s waste from landfills. To learn more about Stop & Shop’s sustainability efforts, visit https://stopandshop.com/community.
