Southampton, NY starts plastic bag ban to mark Earth Day

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. -- The town of Southampton on eastern Long Island is commemorating Earth Day by curbing plastic bag use.

It started enforcing a local law banning the distribution of single-use bags on Wednesday. Town supervisor Anna Throne-Holst said shoppers are being urged to use their own reusable bags.

Otherwise, they're being offered recyclable or reusable paper bags.

Similar bans are also taking effect in the villages of Quogue and Sagaponack.

Throne-Holst said this could be the start of a ban across large parts of the Hamptons.

The village of Sag Harbor's ban will go into effect on June 1. It will be followed by the town of East Hampton on Sept. 1.