Are Plastic Trash Bags Outlawed in New York State?

It’s incredible how many new laws and pieces of legislation are introduced in New York State every year. It can be tough for the average person to keep up with all the rules and regulations until you are confronted with a situation and have to look one up.

Looking Back at a Busy New York Summer

How has your summer been?

Now that school has started in many areas of New York State, or will be starting soon, it’s time to look back at all the fun things we did over the last couple of months.

From Little League baseball and summer camp to road trips and family adventures, it certainly was an exciting few months for kids and families.

Recently, we took a trip from Buffalo to the Adirondacks and back. When you travel through New York State, you realize just how incredible it really is. We are blessed to have so many natural resources and beautiful places to explore, see and experience.

We are also fortunate to have so many great resorts for families to enjoy. Along the way, we stopped at a fairly new resort in the Finger Lakes region. With a family of six, finding a resort style property can be much more convenient and practical than booking multiple hotel rooms.

But it was at this resort that I learned about a New York State law that may have you wondering about your next hotel stay, too.

Does New York State Ban Plastic Garbage Bags in Hotel Rooms?

One of the issues that comes with having a large family is the amount of trash we can produce.

As much as I try to recycle and limit the amount of waste, it seems like we always have more than our fair share of items that need to be thrown away.

When we arrived at our hotel room, I noticed there wasn’t a garbage bag in the trash can. I called the front desk and was told that New York State does not allow them to automatically place plastic garbage bags in the rooms, although bags were available by request.

That caught me by surprise.

I was aware of New York State’s restrictions involving certain single-use plastic items, including the ban on certain small plastic containers for shampoo, soap and other personal care products. However, I had never heard that New York State prohibited hotels from placing plastic garbage bags in guest rooms.

"Beginning January 1, 2026, New York State’s existing ban on the use of small plastic bottles containing personal care products will be expanded to any hotel, apartment hotel, motel, or boarding house with less than 50 rooms".

After looking into it, I couldn’t find a specific New York State law that appears to prohibit hotels from providing garbage bags in guest rooms. It’s possible that the policy we encountered was a resort or company policy, or that they were using the bottle ban in a different way?

"Title 28 for the New York State Bag Waste Reduction Act. The law takes effect March 1, 2020 and prohibits the distribution of plastic carryout bags by retailers in New York state".

So, if you arrive at a New York hotel or resort and there isn’t a garbage bag in the room, it may be worth asking the front desk before assuming it’s because of a statewide ban.

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New York’s Changing Rules on Garbage and Recycling

I remember a time when cities and towns across New York State would only allow residents to use clear garbage bags for their trash.

Now, with many communities providing specific totes for garbage and recycling, that seems to be a thing of the past in many places.

New York has continued to make changes over the years aimed at reducing waste and limiting the use of certain single-use plastics. That can make it difficult to keep track of exactly what is and isn’t allowed, particularly when different businesses and municipalities can have their own policies.

A Great Family Getaway

Regardless of the garbage bag situation, I will say that the resort we stayed at was perfect for the kids.

Anything with an indoor pool, a game room and ice cream nearby is a win in my book!

It was a great summer, and we have so many memories and fun experiences to look back on. From baseball to road trips and exploring more of New York State, we certainly made the most of our time together.

Although, I have to admit, it is going to be nice to get back into a routine now that school is here. I think the entire family will appreciate it and before long, we’ll probably be looking forward to the next school break!