A sign is pictured outside the Lakewood Walmart stating that paper shopping bags will no longer be made available beginning Jan. 18. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

LAKEWOOD — Walmart stores in New York will soon go paperless.

Signs placed at the entrance of the Lakewood Walmart state that paper shopping bags will be “going away” as of Wednesday, Jan. 18. “Don’t forget to bring your own bags or buy them in-store,” the signs read.

It appears Walmart plans to go paperless at all its stores in the state. A message posted to the Olean Walmart’s Facebook page notes, “Starting 1/18/23 Our New York stores will be going bagless. A large variety of reusable bags will be available for purchase in store.”

The move follows a New York state law that went into effect in 2020 that banned single-use plastic bags. Specifically, the law banned many types of businesses from distributing the thin plastic bags that have been clogging up landfills, getting tangled in trees and accumulating in lakes and seas.

Single-use paper bags are still allowed in New York, but counties have the option of imposing a 5 cent fee.