MEET BEN THE PLASTIC BAG
Hi, I'm Ben, New Jersey's new plastic bag - and I am a lot to handle!
You're seeing a lot more of me since New Jersey banned plastic film bags in 2022.
But I...
• am made to look like a natural cloth material, but consume more than 15x the plastic to make
• generate more than 5x the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to manufacture
• can’t be recycled. On average, you’ll only use me 2 to 3 times before I end up in the landfill.
RESOURCES
"Ben" represents the plastic bags that became common after New Jersey’s bag ban replaced recyclable alternatives in stores. While often described as reusable, these bags typically require more plastic and energy to produce and are frequently discarded after only a few uses. Understanding how these materials are made and used helps provide a more complete picture of the environmental impact of New Jersey’s bag policy.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
New Jersey Plastic Bag
Ban Goes Bust
Ban Goes Bust
(Jan 28, 2024) ...New Jersey passed a law in 2020 that banned single-use plastic and paper bags in all stores and food service businesses starting in May 2022.
It’s a major inconvenience for state residents, and now a report suggests it has also been an environmental dud.
READ MOREUSA TODAY
Plastic bag bans have spread across the country. Sometimes they backfire.
(Feb 17, 2024) The idea is simple: Reduce plastic waste by requiring shoppers to bring their own reusable bags.
The reality is messy. Plastic bag bans have spread across the nation, but some data suggests that switching to more durable, multi-use bags creates some new problems – and in some cases, means more, not less, plastic being used.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Why Do Some People in New Jersey Suddenly Have Bags and Bags of Bags?
(Sep 1, 2022 ) A ban on single-use plastic and paper bags in grocery stores had an unintended effect: Delivery services switched to heavy, reusable sacks- lots of them...
The mountains of bags are an unintended consequence of New Jersey's strict new bag ban in supermarkets. It went into effect in May and prohibits not only plastic bags but paper bags as well.READ MORE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What types of bags are currently allowed under current New Jersey law?
Under current New Jersey law, traditional plastic film bags are banned statewide. Reusable bags, mostly thicker plastic bags, are allowed at all stores. Paper bags are permitted at most retailers and restaurants. However, paper bags are not allowed at large grocery stores over 2,500 square feet.
Are the bags allowed under current New Jersey law recyclable?
Under current New Jersey law, most allowed bags are not easily recyclable. Reusable bags, especially thicker plastic ones, are not recyclable, and cloth bags are reusable but not recyclable in most municipal systems. Paper bags are widely recyclable, but they are not permitted at large grocery stores.
How many times does the average consumer reuse the bags provided in most grocery stores?
A recent study examining a reusable bag policy in New Jersey found that reusable bags now average only 2-3 uses. The study also shows that following New Jersey’s ban on single-use bags, the shift from plastic film to alternative bags resulted in a nearly 3x increase in plastic consumption for bags.