By Alexa Kiernan and Emily Heller
As of May 4, single-use plastic bags are officially banned in New Jersey. The law was signed in November 2020, but stores and businesses were given 18 months to prepare for the changes.
According to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection website, the recent “Get Past Plastic” legislation is the most stringent in the nation; New Jersey is the only state that also bans the use of paper bags at grocery stores. Under the new law, stores and groceries smaller than 2,500 square feet may continue to offer customers paper bags; over 2,500 square feet it’s BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag – or be prepared to pony up a few cents to a few dollars for a reusable bag.
New Jersey is taking action to be a catalyst for sustainability and set an example for other states to follow. Businesses will be fined in order to ensure compliance with the new law. A warning is given for the first offense and up to a $1,000 fine for the second offense. Fines up to $5,000 are for the third or any subsequent violations of the law.
Some businesses were hit harder than others by the new rules, as some have been urging customers to bring reusable bags for many years now. And many retail shops, like Cabana 19, Cos Bar, Lucki Clover and Urban Outfitters in Red Bank were already using paper or reusable, not plastic, bags to fulfill orders. Some stores were even taking the initiative and giving out free reusable bags to customers in the run-up to May 4.
Many stores are opting to sell reusable bags with purchases for a nominal fee. ShopRite now sells reusable shopping bags for 33 cents per bag. Trader Joe’s has always sold reusable bags for 99 cents and up. Shoppers can bring these bags back with them on future visits to the store. According to the law, reusable bags must be able to withstand 125 uses and have handles. They cannot be composed of plastic regardless of thickness.
Use of polystyrene containers has also been regulated by the law, effectively banning them from being used or sold in stores. All takeout meals have to be in a container other than a foam one. Shoppers will no longer be able to purchase Styrofoam plates and cups in stores. Certain polystyrene items are exempt from the law – like trays for butchered meat or fish or those food items packaged outside the state – for two more years, until May 4, 2024. Since November, plastic straws may only be given to customers at eating establishment if they specifically ask for them, otherwise paper straws are the popular replacement.
Throughout Red Bank, employees at different stores were asked their views on the ban and most were in favor of it – a community in support of environmental law. Some stores are taking it a step further, not selling bags and encouraging customers to not use a bag in general. People may come to the conclusion that this is inconvenient but in the end it will greatly change the environment and the way people go about shopping.
This article originally appeared in the May 5–11, 2022, print edition of The Two River Times.
