Wegmans plans to eliminate the use of plastic bags at its New York stores by year's end, and shoppers are being discouraged from reusing old ones.

A state ban of plastic grocery bags goes into effect March 1, 2020.

"We want to get out ahead of this because we have a lot to learn from our customers about how we can help them make the shift to reusable bags, which are far better than paper bags for the environment," Wegmans packaging and sustainability manager Jason Wadsworth said in a statement.

The news prompted some to ask on social media if they will be able to reuse their old bags.

Tracy Van Auker, a company spokesperson, said the grocer is discouraging customers from doing that because the bag stands are being altered to accommodate totes and paper bags.

Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted the ban during a speech Monday on Long Island.

“Looks harmless enough, right?" Cuomo said while holding a plastic bag. "This. Squish it up, it gets very small. You can almost see it. How dangerous can that be? That is very, very, very, very dangerous.

"The average American family uses 1,500 plastic bags per year. The average length of use of the bag is 12 minutes, and this bag will outlive all of us in this room."

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Cuomo also said that Americans use 100 billion plastic bags per year, requiring 12 million barrels of oil to make the bags.

"New Yorkers (use) 23 million plastic bags a year," Cuomo said. "Now you see them everyday, because they never go away. You see them hanging in trees in some communities, like bizarre Christmas ornaments."

Wegmans said its phaseout of plastic bags is a nonfactor in its goal of reducing in-store plastic packaging made from fossil fuels and single-use items such as straws by 2 million pounds this year. The company said it hopes for an elimination of 10 million pounds in five years.

“Obviously, we can’t wave a wand and make it happen," Wadsworth said.

Wegmans said it is moving down the road to "zero waste" and the drives will lead to changes that are more noticeable. Plastic containers at food bars in Wegmans stores contain 40% less plastic than previous versions, Wadsworth said.

"It’s challenging when a customer can’t see it," Wadsworth said.

Paper straws and wooden coffee stir sticks have replaced plastic versions. Some of the plastic packaging used by stores will be replaced with materials made from plant-based renewable fiber, according to the company.

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Wadsworth said that some of the changes in packaging are more expensive for the company, but the added cost won't be passed along.

"We feel that it's the right thing to do," Wadsworth said. "We are committed to offering the same low prices.

"(Customers) are not going to feel this."

The changes in packing will also impact shelf life of some foods, but Wegmans has taken that into account, according to Wadsworth. A container at a food bar, for example, will remain microwaveable and absent of leaks.

"Food waste is a large concern today. You have to take shelf life into account," he said.

The company's "Zero Waste" program has been inserted into 30 stores, after a trial run at its location in Canandaigua in 2016. Wadsworth said that customers should notice changes by the end of the year.

"Not overnight, little by little," Wadsworth said. "It’s continuing improvement. That's the way we operate."