New Jersey's plastic bag ban is working, keeping state clean
By: Linda doherty
and JoAnn Gemenden
Your Turn
Gust columnists
..... It has been three years since New Jersey adopted landmark legislation that prohibited the sue of single-use plastic carryout bags in all stores and single-use paper bags in grocery stores larger than 2.500 square feet.
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It is widely considered the strongest and most effective single-use bag ban in the nation.
..... Since the law took effect on May 4, 2022, the results been nothing short of amazing. Just think about it: those flimsy plastic bags blowing around in a parking lot, sitting in a neighborhood creek or stuck in a tree?
..... To date, this ban has removed more than 24 billion single-use plastic bags from New Jersey, as well as 480 million paper bags. If not for this legislation, most of those bags would end up as litter, harming our wildlife and waterways.
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Here's another way of looking at it: If we placed the total of avoided single-use plastic bags side by side, they would cover 10 round trips to the moon. Meanwhile, the paper bags saved in New Jersey since this law was enacted would wrap the earth two times.
..... Environment America, a research and policy group based in Denver, has provided a great tool to help educate New Jerseyans about the intangible benefits of this law. The nonprofit has created a free, open-source calculator, in which local officials and residents can simply plug in a town's name to learn how many bags have been saved from the waste stream each year.
..... As an example, we searched Mahwah. The calculator showed that the Bergen County community has 7.5 million fewer single-sue plastic bags each year that are not polluting our environment. In addition, eliminating those bags saved about 38,000 gallons of oil needed to produce them each year. These are incredible environmental benefits, amplified through each and every town in New Jersey marking the same achievement.
..... As with any groundbreaking law, adjustments have been made along the way. For example, we learned that many Online shoppers were generating more reusable bags that they needed once the law went into effect. And weals heard from food pantries, shelters and other nonprofits, which needed those same bags to serve the people.
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We worked together to create a statewide Reusable Bag Resource Center through the New Jersey Clean Communities Council's LitteFreeNJ campaign. We cerated an easy Online tool to help New Jerseyans donate their clean resumable bags to worthy causes. it is another way in which we have created a closed-loop system, making sure this program keeps single-use bags out of our waste stream while maximizing the effectiveness of the law.
..... We must applaud New Jersey shoppers, whose participation has been key to the success of the program. new Jerseyans now keep reusable bags in their vehicles and bring them into the store to shop. Yes, for some, it took a few shopping trips to remember the bags. But store owners are telling us that it has become increasingly rare for shoppers to forget bags, underscoring the impact of out statewide education programs through LitterFreeNJ.
..... We are tremendously proud of this landmark environmental law, a national example of government, business and shoppers working together to directly improve the lives of nearly 10 million people in our state.
..... As we mark this third anniversary, we join with all New Jersey residents who don't want this litter in our community. We express our ongoing appreciation to Governor Phil Murphy and other state lawmakers who have recognized the enormous environmental benefit of this innovative law that now serves unquestionably as a national road map for sustainable success.
..... Linda Doherty is president and CEO of the New Jersey Food Council and chair of the New Jersey Clean communities Council. JoAnn Gemenden is executive director of the New Jersey Clean Communities Council.