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A California style plastic bag ban will be coming to New
Jersey soon.
The new Governor (Phil Murphy) vetoed a bill that was would
have created a five-cent sales tax on plastic and paper
disposable bags because he wants stricter measures imposed.
Hence, a
new bill is making its way through the New Jersey
legislature.
The new bill would ban stores from handing out single-use
plastic shopping bags, plastic drinking straws and
polystyrene food containers (like foam takeout clamshells)
from being used in New Jersey.
The new bill also would also create a 10-cent fee on
single-use paper bags, with five(5) cents being sent back to
the store operators.
Under the new bill, any food service business or store that
has more than 1,000 square feet of retail space would be
banned from handing out single-use plastic bags.
Exceptions are made non-handled bags made of plastic
film, like the ones found in produce aisles.
Businesses that violate the proposed regulations would face
up to $5,000 for each offense.
A few towns in New Jersey already have regulations like the
ones proposed in the bill.
The statewide ban would go into effect one year after being
signed into law.
You can follow the progress of the bill here:
NJ S2776 - Bill Status.
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