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“Single-use plastic bags are not easily recyclable, which makes managing them at the end of their lives almost impossible,” said Laurie Davies, manager of Ecology’s Solid Waste Management Program.

Additionally, recycling plastic bags is made difficult because they tend to be more of a contaminant in the recycling system by clogging sorting machines, which in turn puts workers at risk.

The bags, according to DEC, are a common form of pollution that threatens the health of wildlife, the environment and even humans.

When chemicals are released from the production, use, incineration and even slow decay of plastic bags, they pose a risk to organic life.

If customers choose to use compliant plastic or paper bags from a business, the ban requires that the business charge 8 cents per bag.

Plastic bags that are exempt from the law include plastics to wrap meat and produce, bags for prescriptions and bags for newspapers and dry-cleaning.

Other efforts in the state to reduce single-use plastics also include new legislation signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on May 17 that will increase recycled content in bottles and trash bags.