New Jersey is banning plastic and paper shopping bags, as well as restricting polystyrene-foam food containers in what may be the nation’s toughest program to reduce pollution from single use containers. The legislation (S-864) has passed both the Assembly and the Senate and was signed into law on November 4th by Gov. Phil Murphy. To give New Jersey residents and businesses ample opportunity to adapt to these new requirements, the law will not go into effect until May of 2022.
*The above graphic appeared in NJ Spotlight, 9/25/2020.
This seems a little daunting at first, but in the next year, we can all figure out how we’re going to do it. Here are a few pointers:
- Carry reusable shopping bags in your car. They are available at every grocery story. They can be easily cleaned with wipes or just soap and water.
- Use metal or other reusable straws instead of single use plastic.
- Use mesh bags instead of plastic for loose produce at the grocery store. They are available at grocery stores and online.
- Use reusable containers for kids lunches instead of plastic or paper bags.
- Take your own reusable container to restaurants to use as a “doggie bag”.