By Kat Johnson

As of this week, the Bushwick Food Cooperative will no longer accept plastic bags or container donations.

The co-op has been inundated with these donations recently, and we appreciate that our owners and customers think about reusing. However, by accepting this constant stream of light-weight plastic bags and containers, the co-op is enabling shoppers to not account for their own consumption. 

Recently, New York State lawmakers have agreed to impose a statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags from retail sales. In solidarity with this new initiative, we're moving to also reduce soft plastics that flow through the co-op.

We will still accept donations of clean glass, metal containers, preloved reusable bags. The co-op will also be restocking BFC tote backs soon, if you are looking for a stylish and sustainable way to shop. We appreciate our owners' and customers' cooperation as we move towards a more healthy, plastic-free future!

If you need some tips on making reusable cloth bags, here’s a great post.

And here’s some info on how to recycle plastic bags in NYS.