By Allen Swanson • Communications Committee Co-Chair
Is New Jersey’s bag ban, introduced in May 2022, making a difference? You bet! In an 83-page report, the Plastics Advisory Council has charted progress of the law (P.L. 2020, Chapter 117) during its first eight months and concludes that New Jersey’s “Get Past Plastic” policy has been a success.
The major findings of the report include the following:
- 16.5 billion plastic bags removed from the waste stream
- 110 million paper bags removed
- 15 million plastic straws removed
- 37% reduction in plastic bag litter on NJ beaches
- 39% reduction in plastic straw litter on NJ beaches
- 38% reduction in foam litter on NJ beaches
Chapter 117 restricted use of plastic straws and banned plastic and paper bags and polystyrene containers.
It also created the Plastics Advisory Council (PAC) to oversee administration. The council consists of representatives from industry, environmental groups, education, and government. It has held regular meetings since April 2022, and its “First Year Report” not only charts the achievements of this groundbreaking environmental law but also identifies 20 ways (“opportunities for action”) plastic regulation can be strengthened and made more effective.
For example, a major unanticipated consequence of the law has been the accumulation of reusable bags. Of the 20 opportunities for action, the first three relate to reusable bags. Authors of Chapter 117 did not anticipate the proliferation of “reusable bags” that would result from the ban on plastic and paper bags. Reusable bags were immediately employed by takeout food vendors, which left many New Jersey residents with far more reusable bags than they need. The council has suggested improving the definition of reusable bags so they can be (a) cleaned for reuse, (b) recycled, and (c) verified as nonplastic.
Additional areas identified as requiring review and action include the following:
- Improve compliance with the plastic straw ban.
- Help consumers understand what plastics are and are not recyclable. The council cited the numerical International Plastic Resin Coding System as particularly problematic. “This causes great public confusion.”
- Work with wastewater treatment facilities and the state Legislature to prevent microplastics from entering the environment.
- Tap New Jersey’s higher education community for research into more effective plastics management.
- Beef up industry responsibility for plastics content in products and packaging. Require honest and clear labeling about recyclability.
- Foster a “reuse and refill” green business economy.
- Reduce plastic waste at schools and government buildings.
The report made it clear that New Jersey has come a long way in addressing the problem of some waste materials, but said that, overall, nationally and in New Jersey, “waste reduction efforts have largely been ineffective.”
It is imperative that all of us recognize how “ineffective” our efforts have been to reduce waste and increase our focus on education and action.
Resource
Plastic Advisory Council Report: shorturl.at/oOZ57