One year after New Jersey implemented a law restricting single-use plastic bags and straws and limited use of other products including paper carryout bags and polystyrene foam food containers, the Murphy Administration is celebrating a significant decrease in the use of these products and resulting reductions in litter, according to Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette.
Governor Murphy signed the law in 2020 and New Jersey implemented it effective May 4, 2022. The law prevents grocery stores and retail establishments from providing single-use plastic bags to customers, and further restricts grocery stores 2,500 square feet or larger from providing single-us e paper bags. Similarly, polystyrene foam food takeout containers and other polystyrene food service products also may no longer be provided to customers, and single-use plastic straws may only be provided upon a customer’s request.
The impact of these restrictions is being hailed as a success just one year after the law went into effect.
“New Jersey’s initiative to step up and say no to continued plastics pollution in our communities and waterways is worthy of celebration because we have quickly seen the positive effects of this law,” Commissioner LaTourette said. “Removing single-use plastics, paper bags and foam food containers from our waste stream keeps our communities clean and protects aquatic and marine life as well as wildlife. Our next steps will be to continue educating the public about how and why these restrictions have a lasting difference on environmental protection.”
Among key metrics measured during the past year:
- The New Jersey Food Council estimates that 5.5 billion single-use plastic bags and 110 million single-use paper bags were eliminated from entering the waste stream and environment by its 2,000 grocery store members between May and December 2022;
- There has been a more than 37 percent decrease in single-use plastics in each of three categories affected by the law, including single-use plastic bags, foam food containers and straws found as litter along the Jersey shore.
- There has been a reduction in the number of plastic straws purchased by convenience stores for distribution to customers, from 17 million to 2 million per month.
The DEP and its partner agencies will continue to focus on educating the public about the value and importance of reducing use of and reliance on plastic products, as well as overall waste reduction, to enhance environmental stewardship.
As published in June 2023 issue of American Recycler.