Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law PL 2020, c117 which prohibits single-use plastic and paper bags at grocery stores. Beginning May 4, 2022, New Jersey businesses may not sell or provide single-use plastic bags or paper bags to their customers.
Is paper not totally and easily recyclable and biodegradable?
This extremely short-sighted law fails to note that most people either reuse their plastic grocery bags, or they bring them back to the store for recycling. Have you seen the plastic bag recycling bins at, for example, ShopRite?
So now, instead of reusing the plastic bags, we will have to purchase plastic garbage bags for our homes. How in the world is that “saving the environment?” And, why, for the love of Pete, are paper bags included in this ban?
This law will, in no way, decrease the number of plastic bags in landfills. It will only replace grocery bags with purchased plastic garbage bags and place an undue financial burden on regular middle class folks who shop at a grocery store.
Neil Kamichoff
North Brunswick
