New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed into law the Recycled Content Bill (S2515/A4676). The bill will require increasing post-consumer recycled content in a variety of packaging products including plastic containers, plastic beverage containers, plastic and paper bags, plastic trash bags and glass containers.
Environmental advocates across the state applauded S2515/A4676 and thanked the leadership of the Senate prime sponsor, Senate Environment Chair Bob Smith. The bill requires post-consumer recycled content in a variety of packaging products and:
•After two years, rigid plastic containers and bottles will be required to now respectively meet 10 percent and 15 percent post-consumer recycled content and increase that percentage until reaching 50 percent.
•Sets content standards and benchmarks for glass containers, paper and plastic carryout bags, and plastic trash bags.
•Bans plastic packing peanuts.
This bill is essential to support recycling markets so that virgin single-use plastics can be eliminated from the waste stream, keeping them out of landfills, incinerators and off the Jersey Shore.
There are similar laws in other East Coast states including Connecticut, Maryland and Maine. Other states are considering similar legislation and will follow New Jersey’s lead as they did with the plastic carryout bag ban. A New Jersey recycled content law will set the standard for recycling across the East Coast.
Corporate promises to use recycled materials aren’t enough, according to the environmental groups working to drive support for the bill over the past two years.
Published in the February 2022 Edition
