What’s the Reusable Bag Initiative?

The Reusable Bag Initiative is set up to help our towns adopt an ordinance that will discourage the single use plastic bags in our grocery and other large stores and to encourage the use of reusable bags. 

How will it affect our shopping?

A new local law will take affect in Bedford on April 1, 2019 establishing a 10-cent fee for all paper and plastic, single-use, carryout bags in stores greater than 5,000 square feet. According The Record Review, local stores affected by the law include ShopRite, CVS, Pier One, and Kohls in Bedford Hills; DeCicco Family Markets in Katonah; and Key Food in Bedford Village. 

Why can’t we just recycle our plastic shopping bags?

According to the RBI, the collection and transport of plastic bags will further burden the environment. To make good new plastic out of old bags requires yet another process with additional chemicals. And while the plastic lightweight bag generally has significantly less impact on the environment than the paper bag, plastic littering is a much more serious problem than paper littering. For answers to all your single-use (i.e., traditional plastic and paper) shopping bag questions, click here.

Help is on the way!

Bedford now has a Reusable Bag Task Force! To ease the transition, the RBTF designed a complimentary reusable bag for residents. Houlihan Lawrence donated $1,000 to underwrite the production of 1,000 bags for distribution in town.

How can you get your very own reusable bag?

The Reusable Bag Task Force will be handing them out this weekend at the Tri-Festa in Bedford Hills Memorial Park (September 22) and at the Bedford 2020 Trash Bash (October 13).

Got some extra reusable bags at home that you’d like to share?

There will be stations at the Bedford Town House, the Community Center of Northern Westchester (in Katonah), and the Take it or Leave It shed by the Bedford Hills Train Station where locals can donate gently used reusable bags or pick up an extra.