There's been a lot of talk over the last year of banning plastic shopping bags, recycling or reusing plastic bags, or even creating art or fashion out of plastic bags. But pretty soon New York City residents will have a simple solution for dealing with the plastic bags accumulating in that cupboard under the sink: Take them back to the place where you got them.

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Yesterday New York City Council passed legislation that would require large stores that give out plastic bags to set up collection bins for customers to drop off bags. The law applies to any store with 5,000 or more square feet or any shop that is part of a retail chain with more than 5 locations in New York City.

New Yorkers will be able to drop off plastic shopping bags and other stretchable plastic items like dry-cleaning and garbage bags will also be accepted, but not the stiff bags with cardboard bottoms which are not reusable. You will not need to drop off a bag at the same store where you got it, because you know, that just just wouldn't make any sense.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg still needs to sign the bill into law, but he's expected to do that soon. The law will take effect six months after he puts pen to paper. At that point not only will stores be responsible for collecting bags and sending them out to be recycled, but all plastic bags will be printed with a message letting you know that they can be returned to stores.