Article from Reason by Christian Britschgi.
In August 2018, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, vetoed a bill that would have imposed a five-cent fee on both paper and plastic carryout bags, arguing that the legislation did not do enough to protect the Garden State’s famed natural beauty.
“Single-use carryout bags—particularly plastic bags—represent a significant source of the litter that clutters our communities and mars New Jersey’s beautiful shoreline and parks,” wrote Murphy in his veto statement. “Instituting a five-cent fee on single-use bags that only applies to certain retailers does not go far enough.”
State legislators have clearly heard this message, floating proposals to ban not just plastic grocery bags, but all single-use bags—paper or plastic.
Working its way though the legislature right now is S2776. As written, the legislation would ban food service businesses and other retailers who have stores larger than 1,000 square feet from providing their customers with plastic bags. The bill would also naturally ban plastic straws.
Read the entire article at Reason.
Image Credit: Kevinmurrayphotography [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]
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The problem with reusable (permanent) grocery bags is that they eventually get contaminated (for example with raw meat juices) that contaminate produce carried in the bag on later grocery trips. This is not just a theory. Essentially no one puts them in the clothes washer between trips, which is the only safe approach.
If I understand this governor correctly, he expects to solve the litter problem this way. Rather illogical, as grocery bags are only a small portion of litter. With a public health issue resulting. But let’s not confuse the question with facts!
If the people in New Jersey weren’t such Slobs THEY WOULDN’T HAVE THIS PROBLEM….
A Bio-Degradable bag would be nice! I don’t think people can carry enough food in their arms to sustain a family.
Styrene plates and cups plus plastic cutlery are part of the problem also. And these need to be either banned or severely restricted.
Come to TN where sanity must factor in to such policies!