In less than 2 weeks, Mamaroneck residents will no longer use plastic bags at their local grocery stores.

Town officials believe the ban will help residents transition to reusable bags sooner. To make matters easier, Mamaroneck is providing 3,000 reusable bags free of charge.

Shoppers will also have the option to purchase paper bags for 5 cents.

"We know that plastic bags are bad," says Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Nancy Seligson. "We see them in our trees on the side of the roads.”

Some of the plastic bags have ended up in the Long Island Sound. Seligson says the new ordinance is designed to protect the environment.

“Anything that is better for the environment, we should just try it,” says shopper Suzanna Campous.

The restriction goes into effect months before a statewide plastic bag ban, set to begin in March 2020.

Ossining environmental advocacy group Riverkeeper fought for the state law.  The group points out that the plastic bags never completely break down and often turn into microplastics that end up in the consumers' food chain.

Jeremy Cherson, legislative advocacy manager of Riverkeeper, believes "the Lamont Doherty Institute at Columbia University has documented microplastics in large volumes in the harbor by New York City up to the Tappan Zee Bridge."